Kathmandu. March 31 : Rajasthan Royals registered their first victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a commanding 6-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in a thrilling match on Sunday night.
Chasing a target of 183 runs, Chennai fell short, managing only 176 runs for 6 wickets in their 20 overs. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad led the scoring with a 63-run knock off 44 balls, smashing 7 fours and 1 six. Ravindra Jadeja (32), Rahul Tripathi (23), Shivam Dube (18), MS Dhoni (16), and Jamie Overton (11) also contributed, but their efforts weren’t enough to secure a win.
Rajasthan’s bowling attack was spearheaded by Wanindu Hasaranga, who claimed 4 wickets for 35 runs in 4 overs. Jofra Archer and Sandeep Sharma chipped in with a wicket each, restricting Chennai’s batting lineup.
Earlier, Rajasthan, batting first after losing the toss, posted a competitive total of 182/9 in 20 overs at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. Nitish Rana was the standout performer, scoring a blazing 81 runs off just 36 balls, hammering 10 fours and 5 sixes. Captain Riyan Parag (37), Sanju Samson (20), and Shimron Hetmyer (19) provided valuable support, while the rest of the batting lineup struggled to make an impact.
Chennai’s bowlers put up a fight, with Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, and Matheesha Pathirana taking two wickets each, while Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja grabbed one apiece.
With this win, Rajasthan Royals moved to 9th place in the standings with 2 points from 3 matches, while Chennai Super Kings, having played one extra game, hold 2 points and sit at 7th place.
