Chennai, March 31: MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings once again held on to their nerve as they defeated Rajasthan Royals by 8 runs in a nail-biting last-over thriller in their second home game at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday (March 31) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019.
Chasing a gettable total of 176, with dew at Chepauk making it tough for the spinners to bowl, Royals once again wilted under pressure and suffered their third successive defeat in the tournament.
With this win, Chennai once again climbed at the top of the points table with all three wins in the tournament. Dwyane Bravo once again proved he still is one of the best death overs bowlers as he successfully helped CSK manage to defend the total. With 12 required from the last six deliveries with dangerous looking Ben Stokes on strike but the Jamaican dismissed the Englishman on the first delivery and brought the hosts back in the game.
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Bravo then conceded three more runs from the next five deliveries and took one more wicket to guide his team to yet another sensational win. Bravo finished his quota of 4 overs with 32 for two.
In the sweltering heat 🔥 of Chennai, Captain Cool and his team kept a cool head and were rewarded for it 😇 #CSKvRR #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/1nQwUuroKm
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 31, 2019
Deepak Chahar (4-1-19-2), Shardul Thakur (4-0-42-2), Imran Tahir (4-0-22-2), and Bravo (4-0-32-2) bagged two wickets apiece as 'captain cool' MS Dhoni strategically used his bowlers.
Apart from Stokes, Rahul Tripathi (39), and Steve Smith (28) also played good hands in the run chase but they lost their wickets at crucial junctures.
Earlier, Dhoni led his team from the front as he revived his team from a critical situation and guided the CSK to a competitive total. After being invited to bat first, CSK were dealt with major blows when their openers Ambati Rayudu (1) and Shane Watson (13), and Kedar Jadhav (8) were dismissed cheaply in the powerplay.
- This is CSK's fourth successive #IPL victory at Chepauk.
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) March 31, 2019
- Their 15th win in the last 17 games at this venue.#CSKvRR#IPL2019
Dhoni and Suresh Raina (36) revived the innings for Chennai as Royals bowlers bowled exceptionally well in the first 10 overs. Dhoni and Raina couldn't free their hands. After Raina's dismissal, Bravo (27 off 16) too played a brilliant cameo before Dhoni (75* off 46) ended the CSK innings with his late flourish. Dhoni hammered Jaydev Unadkat for three back-to-back sixes in the final over and propelled his team to a big respectable total.
Here's how the match between CSK and RR panned out:
Three wins for CSK in three games propelled them at the top of the points-table once again.
Captain Cool MS Dhoni named the man of the match for his match-winning effort and leading the team from the front.
It's all over!! Dwayne Bravo once again lives up to his reputation of a death-overs' specialist and Chennai Super Kings beat Rajasthan Royals by 8 runs in a nail-biting thriller.
DJ Bravo showing signs of his usual self at the death this season after poor performances last few seasons. He has conceded at 7.2 rpo with a wicket once in 5 balls at the death this season compared to 11.42 rpo with a wicket once in 18 balls in IPL 2016 & 2018. #IPL2019 #CSKvRR
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) March 31, 2019
Wicket!! Gopal mistimes it and Tahir takes a simple catch in the deep. HE departs for a duck. Chants of Bravo Bravo and CSK CSK reverberating at Chepauk.
19.4! Wide Yorker from Bravo and Archer could get only 1. 10 needed from 2 balls.
Wicket! Stokes (46) gives a catch to Raina. Bravo strikes on the first ball. RR need 12 from 5. Thriller of a contest, this.
RR - 164/6 after 19 overs. 13 came from that over and Rajasthan Royals need 12 from last 6.
SIXXXX!! Ben Stokes plays a brilliant one-handed shot off Shardul and the ball sails outside the boundary. Poor bowling from Shardul. 15 needed from 8 balls
19 runs came from that over bowled by Bravo and Rajasthan Royals have kept themselves in this game. 25 needed from 12 balls.
Four! Another brilliant shot from Stokes. He has brought the hosts in the game with his power hittings.
SIX!! Slower one from Bravo and Stokes dispatches him over mid-on for a maximum.
SIX!!! Jofra Archer hits Shardul Thakur over long-on for a maximum. It was right into his arc and the ball sailed into the stands. The match is still ON. RR need 44 from 18 balls.
Four! Jofra Archer opens his account with a brilliant cut shot towards point. He could play a good hand with the bat in the end.
Wicket! K Gowtham (9) gives a simple catch to Suresh Raina at extra-cover. Shardul gets another wicket. RR - 120/6
Rajasthan Royals reach 120/5 after 16 overs. 9 conceded by Tahir from his final over. They need 56 from 24 balls.
14 runs came from that over bowled by Ravindra Jadeja. RR - 111/5 after 15 overs. 65 more runs needed from 30 balls.
SIX! Ben Stokes tonks Ravindra Jadeja over mid-wicket for a maximum. They would require more such strokes from the all-rounder.
4 runs and a wicket came from that over bowled by Tahir. RR - 97/5 after 14 overs.
Wicket! Imran Tahir gets set Steve Smith (28). The Aussie hit him over long-off but didn't get the distance and Shorey (sub) takes a simple catch. CSK - 94/5 after 13.2 overs.
After 12 overs, Rajasthan Royals reach 87/4. They need 89 more from 48 balls.
4 runs conceded by Bravo. Rajasthan Royals - 80/4 after 11 overs. Steve Smith and Ben Stokes are present in the middle.
Wicket! Rahul Tripathi (39) gives an easy return catch to Tahir. Tahir strikes in his first over. Good move from Dhoni to bring the senior spinner in the attack. RR - 75/4 after 10 overs.
The moment we were all waiting for, the Imran Tahir celebration 🕺🕺#VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/nXHqX7CZ5N
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 31, 2019
9 came from the second over bowled by Santner. RR 72/3 after 9 overs. Rajasthan need 104 from 66 deliveries. At this stage, it seems the Royals are going at a decent pace.
Four! Another brilliant shot from Rahul Tripathi against Santner. The Kiwi spinner is playing his first game for CSK and it hasn't been a memorable outing for him so far.
50-run partnership between Rahul Tripathi (33*) and Steve Smith (20*) Royals are going well the run chase.
Four! Another fine shot from Rahul Tripathi. This one came against Ravindra Jadeja. It won't be easy for Chennai bowlers from this stage because the dew factor is making it tough for them to bowl. RR - 63/3 after 8 overs. At this stage, CSK were 38/3.
Four! A loose delivery from Chahar and Rahul Tripathi pulls it towards fine leg boundary. RR - 54/3 after 7 overs. They are reviving well after a flurry of wickets early on. These two need to stay in the middle for RR.
17 runs came from the first over bowled by Santner. Royals reach 45/3 after 6 overs. That over must have eased the pressure off the batting side. The dew factor is already showing its effect.
Four, Four (No-Ball), SIX (on Free-Hit)! Mitchell Santner has been introduced in the sixth over and Rahul Tripathi has welcomed the New Zealand spinner in style.
4,4! Back-to-back boundaries from Steve Smith off Thakur.