Rajasthan Royals (RR) pacer, Sandeep Sharma was able to defend the 176-run target against MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja, in Chennai Super Kings (CSK) vs RR clash. While Sharma in his social media post congratulated CSK’s skipper for playing the 200th Indian Premier League (IPL) matches.
The 29-year-old also reflects on his experience of bowling the 20th over to defend 21 runs against Dhoni and Jadeja, and how he held his nerves after getting hit for two sixes, eventually in the match RR beat CSK by 3 runs.
Sandeep Sharma praised MS Dhoni and shared his emotion-
“Congratulations @msdhoni paji for the 200 IPL matches. An honour to share the field and bowl to him. Forever grateful. #dreamcometrue,” said RR’s pacer.
While coming to the 20th over, both CSK’s star duo of Jadeja and Dhoni were set with 24 & 18 runs respectively, the first two balls were wides as Sandeep was trying to bowl away from Dhoni’s arc, and then his deliveries went for two sixes by CSK’s skipper. The bowler, however, held his nerves and came ’round the wicket’, did not concede another boundary as RR sneaked victory in 4 times champions’ home turf.
“I wanted to deliver yorkers in the last over. I was bowling good yorkers in the nets. The leg-side was big, but I missed my mark and bowled a couple of low full-tosses and both went for sixes. Then I changed my angle and it worked. I bowled over the wicket to Jadeja and I wanted to keep it away from his reach,” stated Sandeep on bowling the 20th over in CSK vs RR clash.
WHAT. A. GAME! ? ?
Another day, another last-ball finish in #TATAIPL 2023! ?@sandeep25a holds his nerve as @rajasthanroyals seal a win against #CSK! ? ?
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/IgV0Ztjhz8#CSKvRR pic.twitter.com/vGgNljKvT6
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 12, 2023
While in the game (CSK vs RR), MS Dhoni-led CSK won the toss and opted to field first, Sanju Samson-led RR batted first and posted 175/8 in 20 overs, Jos Buttler scored a brilliant 50 at the top of the order, essential contribution by Ravichandran Ashwin 30 (22) and Shimron Hetymer 30 (18), helped visitors to post a fighting total.
In the chase, CSK’s opener Devon Conway scored the brilliant 50 (38) balls, and Ajinkya Rahane chipped in at one down position with 31 (19), but after Conway got dismissed when CSK was 113-6 in 15 overs, the star duo of Dhoni and Jadeja took the game to the last over, but fell short of three runs, after 21 runs were needed in last over.
For inaugural edition champions, R. Ashwin picked two wickets and later was awarded player of the match for his all-round performance.
Now, the Chennai-based side has lost and won two games each, in IPL 2023, now they will be up against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Bengaluru on April 17.