R. Ashwin (40 n.o., 23b, 2x3, 3x6) donned the role of finisher to give Rajasthan Royals a five-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings at Brabourne Stadium here on Friday. The win helped Royals (18 points) seal the second spot and set up a clash against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 in Kolkata on May 24. Lucknow Super Giants is the other team to qualify.
Pursuing a target of 151, Royals were cruising at 104 for three. Leg-spinner Prashant Solanki took out Yashasvi Jaiswal (59, 44b, 8x4, 1x6) and Shrimron Hetmyer (6, 7b, 1x4) in quick succession to set the alarm bells ringing in the dressing room.
The experienced Ashwin, undaunted by the climbing required run-rate, managed to hit the big shots to ease the pressure. Ashwin and Riyan Parag (10 n.o., 10b, 1x4) carried Royals home with two balls to spare.
Earlier, Super Kings posted a sub-par total, with only Moeen Ali (93, 57b, 13x4, 3x6) showing positive intent. Super Kings failed to make best use of a flying start provided by Moeen.
The Englishman was in full flow even as wickets tumbled around him. He got going by smashing Prasidh Krishna for 18 runs in the fourth over. Fellow pacer Trent Boult had it worse, as Moeen unleashed his full array of strokes. The New Zealand left-arm seamer was carted for five fours and a six as a whopping 26 came off that over. An upper cut, which easily cleared short third-man, brought up Moeen’s first fifty of the season.
Moeen’s pyrotechnics powered Super Kings to 75 for one after six overs. He was helped by some poor tactics from the Rajasthan Royals bowlers, who either overpitched or bowled short dollies.
At the other end, Ruturaj Gaikwad (2), Devon Conway (16), N. Jagadeesan (1) and Ambati Rayudu (3) fell cheaply. The fall of Rayudu’s wicket was welcomed by the packed house as their hero M.S. Dhoni made an entry.
Though Moeen and Dhoni took Super Kings to 150, it wasn’t enough.
Scoreboard:
Chennai Super Kings Innings: Ruturaj Gaikwad c Samson b Boult 2 Devon Conway lbw b Ashwin 16 Moeen Ali c Parag b McCoy 93 Narayan Jagadeesan c Parag b McCoy 1 Ambati Rayudu c Padikkal b Chahal 3 MS Dhoni c Buttler b Chahal 26 Mitchell Santner not out 1 Simarjeet Singh not out 3
Extras: (W-5) 5
Total: (For 6 wickets in 20 overs) 150
Fall of wickets: 1/2 2/85 3/88 4/95 5/146 6/146
Royals Bowling: Trent Boult 4-0-44-1, Prasidh Krishna 4-0-32-0, Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-28-1, Yuzvendra Chahal 4-0-26-2, Obed McCoy 4-0-20-2.
RAJASTHAN ROYALS
Yashasvi Jaiswal c Pathirana b Solanki 59 (44b, 8x4, 1x6), Jos Buttler c Moeen b Simarjeet 2 (5b), Sanju Samson c & b Santner 15 (20b, 2x4), Devdutt Padikkal b Moeen 3 (9b), R. Ashwin (not out) 40 (23b, 2x4, 3x6), Shimron Hetmyer c Conway b Solanki 6 (7b, 1x4), Riyan Parag (not out) 10 (10b, 1x4); Extras (lb-8, w-8): 16; Total (for five wkts. in 19.4 overs): 151.
FALL OF WICKETS 1-16 (Buttler, 1.4), 2-67 (Samson, 8.3), 3-76 (Padikkal, 11.2), 4-104 (Jaiswal, 14.5), 5-112 (Hetmyer, 16.2).
SUPER KINGS BOWLING
Mukesh 4-0-41-0, Simarjeet 3-0-18-1, Santner 3-0-15-1, Pathirana 3.4-0-28-0, Moeen 4-0-21-1, Solanki 2-0-20-2.
Toss: CSK.
RR won by five wickets with two balls to spare.
The Teams:
Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (c/wk), Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Riyan Parag, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal, Obed McCoy.
Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (c/w), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, N. Jagadeesan, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki, Simarjeet Singh, Matheesha Pathirana, Mukesh Choudhary.
