Sandeep Sharma maintained composure in the face of an enraged MS Dhoni to help the Rajasthan Royals defeat the Chennai Super Kings by three runs on Wednesday, April 12. Due to a greater net run rate than the Lucknow Super Giants, who are currently in second place, the Royals are now at the top of the points table following this victory.
Telecast of Padikkal-Buttler
Following the early dismissal of Jaiswal, Padikkal, who was back in the lineup, played some fluid shots to help the Royals gain traction before Jos Buttler came in to take on the spinners and specifically target Theekshana, who was hammered for 27 in two powerplay overs.
The Royals were well on their way to a sizable total when Buttler completely destroyed his England teammate Moeen Ali after the powerplay, blasting him for three sixes in an over. When Moeen Ali wasn’t having the best days, he continued to miss a run-out and drop a catch.
The inescapable spin-strangulation
It had to take place. If not Moeen, it was Jadeja who abruptly ended everything. The seasoned spinner brought in his India spin twin, Ravichandran Ashwin, later replaced by Moeen Ali, after picking up Devdutt Padikkal and Sanju Samson in the same over. Even though Ashwin overcame his difficulties by blasting Akash Singh for two sixes and then holed out to mid-off later in the same over, the spin strangle was undoubtedly working against him. Buttler had survived everything, so there was a chance that he would lose his mind at the very last moment.
Hetmyer lets free while Moeen makes amends
Moeen Ali, who had been destroyed earlier in the day by Buttler, partially atoned for his actions by ending Buttler’s innings by bowling him out before he could unleash his fury at the end. The scoring rate was slowed down by wickets falling at the other end, but Shimron Hetmyer delivered a couple of lusty blows to push the Royals to 175-8.
The crucial first blow and a comeback
The early dismissal of the effective Gaikwad had to be cause for concern, but that’s just not how CSK rolls. Rahane and Conway established the framework while moving at 7.5 rpo in the powerplay, despite falling behind the required rate. The needed rate always exceeded the present rate, making it challenging for the pair to increase the pressure. They also frequently had trouble locating the boundary.
The collapse caused by the spin
It was always going to be the spinners from CSK vs. the spinners from RR. The decision to fire Ajinkya Rahane, who Ashwin had trapped in front of him while sweeping, was the catalyst. Conway and Dube joined Conway at the wicket, where they both appeared less than comfortable. In the 12th over, the needed rate reached 10 runs per over. However, the Royals’ expert spin bowling in the following three overs caused a spectacular middle-order collapse, resulting in a collapse that read 5-35 and saw the removal of Rahane, Dube, Moeen, Rayudu, and Conway. As a result, MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja entered the field of play.
The RR arrive at the Dhoni-zone
Off of 30, CSK needed 63. They were covered in spinners. In his 200th game as the team captain for CSK, the number 8 batsman entered the field. The seasoned pair exhausted the spinners and reduced the total to 40 off the final two overs.
Then it took place.
In a 19-run over, Jadeja singled out Jason Holder and pummelled him for two sixes and a four, setting up a classic MS Dhoni finish. With 21 needed to win, Sandeep Sharma was forced into the cage with Dhoni in the penultimate over, and the pressure undoubtedly affected the seamer as he threw two wides.
While doing so, he propelled his team to the top of the standings while depriving the home crowd of a fairytale conclusion to MS Dhoni’s 200th match as the captain of CSK.
What are the two teams’ future plans?
The Chennai Super Kings have a four-day vacation before traveling to Bangalore to play the Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday, April 17, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. They are seeking to move up to the top four with another victory. On Sunday, April 16, the Rajasthan Royals will travel to Ahmedabad to take on the Gujarat Titans, the defending champions, in an effort to extend their winning streak.