In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Chennai Super Kings defeated the Rajasthan Royals by five wickets in Match 61. With one game left, Chennai Super Kings is just one win away from making the playoffs.
Ruturaj Gaikwad produced a real captain’s innings, hitting 42 runs not out, as the young opener stood like a rock in front of the formidable bowling attack, scoring and leading his team to a comfortable victory after a fantastic bowling performance that limited Rajasthan Royals to 141/5 in 20 overs.
Even though Gaikwad served as the anchor, CSK was easily able to cross the finish line because to the explosiveness of Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, and Shivam Dube.
Simarjeet Singh and Tushar Deshpande, two of the game’s best bowlers, teamed with solid batting to assist Chennai Super Kings put and apply constant pressure and win the game.
Chennai’s pursuit of 142 got off to a fast start, courtesy of New Zealand sensation Rachin Ravindra. Trent Boult and Sandeep Sharma, the opening bowling combo, were the targets of the Kiwi opener. When he executed his version of the “helicopter shot,” flicking Sandeep Sharma for a six over mid-wicket, he even drove the crowd into a frenzy.
Due to the early damage being done to the pacers, Rajasthan brought in Ravichandran Ashwin, a man who is quite comfortable with the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium track. Ravindra smashed the ball straight up in the air in an attempt to attack Ashwin, but he was caught and bowled. He finished his 27-run innings.
Daryll Mitchell began on the front foot, matching his fellow countryman’s attacking attitude by smashing twelve runs off Ashwin’s massive 56/1 Powerplay total for Chennai.
Chennai wanted to get the game over quickly since they were worried about getting into a close run-rate situation with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. To halt the run flow, the Rajasthan Royals turned to Yuzvendra Chahal, one of their most reliable bowlers.
The captain called for the right-arm leg-break bowler, and he came through as Mitchell was racing down the pitch, missing the ball entirely and getting out for an official leg-break (LBW), which was verified on review.
When Moeen Ali entered the game, the run rate had already dropped to one run per ball, and the Chennai batters were under pressure thanks to some outstanding bowling from Chahal, Ashwin, Avesh Khan, and Nandre Burger.
After the players in yellow went 40 balls without hitting a boundary, Ali attempted to do so off a Burger full-length delivery, but Avesh Khan caught him close to the boundary rope.
With the run rate gradually rising, the Royals appeared to be gaining ground on the opposition until Shivam Dube took matters into his own hands in the 14th over, smashing 14 runs off the first three deliveries. On the final delivery of the over, Dube handed up his wicket as well, but not before causing significant damage.
At the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Shivam Dube’s dismissal marked Ravichandran Ashwin’s 50th wicket. Being the sixth bowler to do so was him. The other five bowlers on the elite list are Sunil Narine, Lasith Malinga, Amit Mishra, Yuvzendra Chahal, and Jasprit Bumrah.
The left-arm all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja, will remember the encounter for all the wrong reasons. He was dismissed for blocking the pitch after deliberately preventing the ball from hitting the stumps during an attempted run-out, which put Chennai in a precarious position.
Following the debut of Impact Player Sameer Rizvi, Chennai Super King easily won their sixth game in a row by finishing the chase. They will now make the trip to Bangalore to play the league’s last match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.