In the fourth match of the IPL 2020, Rajasthan Royals (RR) started their journey in the new IPL season with a 16-run victory against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Sharjah Cricket Stadium (Sharjah).
Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni decided to field first after winning the toss. In the first innings of the match, Rajasthan Royals managed to score 216/7 (20 overs). In reply, CSK managed to score 200/6 (20 overs).
IPL 2020, Match 4: Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings (RR vs CSK) – Match Report
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) innings: Faf du Plessis desperate knock wasn’t enough
Chennai Super Kings openers Murali Vijay and Shane Watson started the chasing very well as they set up the 56 runs partnership for the first wicket. But once Rahul Tewatia bowled aggressive Watson for 33 runs off 21 balls (only four and 4 sixes) just after the mandatory powerplay, CSK lost the plot. Murali Vijay was dismissed (21 runs) by Shreyas Gopal in the next over.
Sam Curran, who scored 17 off just 6 balls, and Ruturaj Gaikwad (0) was stumped out in back-to-back deliveries by Tewatia in the ninth over of that innings.
After setting up the 37 runs partnership for the fifth wicket with Faf du Plessis, Kedar Jadhav lost his wicket for 22 runs off 16 balls.
Then, Faf and MS Dhoni had the 65 runs partnership for the sixth wicket where desperate Faf tried his best. In the 19th over, Jofra Archer took the wicket of Faf, who scored 72 runs off 37 balls (only four and 7 sixes).
CSK had to score 38 runs in the last over to win that game which was impossible without any extra deliveries. Before the final delivery of that match, Dhoni smashed three sixes in a row and finished that match on 29 not out off 17 balls.
Rajasthan Royals bowler Rahul Tewatia finished this match with the bowling figures of 4-0-37-3.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) innings: Jofra Archer finished the innings in a windy way after Steven Smith and Sanju Samson’s partnership
The T20 debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal (6) lost his wicket cheaply as the opener was caught and bowled by pacer Deepak Chahar. However, the other opener and skipper Steven Smith and wicket-keeper batsman Sanju Samson handled that early situation very quickly and set a remarkable century partnership for the second wicket.
While smashing Samson completed his fifty in just 19 balls, he set a 121-run partnership with Smith for the second wicket. After scoring 74 runs off just 32 balls (only four and 9 sixes), Samson was dismissed in the 12th over of the innings.
On the final ball of that 12th over, while the captain Smith completed his fifty in 35 balls, David Miller was run out (0) without facing a ball. Since then, Rajasthan Royals’ middle-order batting lost the wickets in regular intervals. Smith lost his wicket in the 19th over after scoring 69 runs off 47 balls (4 fours and 4 sixes).
Earlier, in the 18th over, while the umpires changed their decision to not out for Tom Curran, CSK skipper MS Dhoni was seemed totally unhappy and he argued with the on-field umpires.
CSK pacer Lungi Ngidi bowled the last over of that innings while Rajasthan Royals were batting on 186/7. In the first four balls of that over, Jofra Archer smashed four sixes, including the last two sixes in no-balls. They added 30 runs in that final over.
Among the CSK bowlers, Sam Curran was the only bowler to claim more than one wicket in that innings as he had the bowling figures of 4-0-33-3.
IPL 2020, Match 4: Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings (RR vs CSK) – Twitter Reactions
Clean striking by @IamSanjuSamson. They were all proper cricketing shots and not slogs. Smartly bowled by @NgidiLungi. Short,wide and slow. #CSKvsRR
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 22, 2020
Well played brother @faf1307 .. Hard luck tonight but we will come back stronger. As always @msdhoni great shots @ChennaiIPL #WhistlePodu well played @IamSanjuSamson ! ✌️
— Suresh Raina?? (@ImRaina) September 22, 2020
First high-scoring encounter. Battle Royale. Won by the Royals. Jofra—the difference between the two teams in the end. Special mentions—Samson, Smith (captain + batsman) and Tewatia. #RRvCSK #IPL2020
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 22, 2020
#CSK lost.. Happy to see #Dhoni 's hat-trick of SIXes.. #CSKvsRR #IPL2020
— Ramesh Bala (@rameshlaus) September 22, 2020
CSK lost.. but we have seen old Dhoni today.. back to back 3 sixes… Yes Tiger is old, but he is still powerful enough to destroy your hate… Maahi Returns… #Dhoni #Mahi #CSKvsRR #Csk #WhistlePodu
— Rohit Jaiswal (@rohitjswl01) September 22, 2020