PICS: Chennai trounce Rajasthan for second win

Images from the IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, in Mumbai, on Monday.

• SCORECARD

Chennai Super Kings turned in a clinical all-round performance to trounce Rajasthan Royals by 45 runs in the Indian Premier League match, at the Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai, on Monday.

Put in to bat, they posted 188 for 9, thanks to vital contributions from Faf du Plessis and Dwayne Bravo.

The South African top-scored with 33 off 17 balls while West Indian all-rounder Bravo hit a breezy 20 not out off 8 balls at the death, including a huge six off the last delivery of the innings from Mustafizur Rahman, as 61 runs were scored off the last five overs.

Young Chetan Sakariya was the pick of the Rajasthan bowlers with figures of 3 for 36 from four overs, while Chris Morris finished with 2 for 33 despite conceding 15 runs in his final over.

Defending the total, the former champions got everything right as Ravindra Jadeja took four superb catches and a wicket, and Moeen Ali bagged three for 7 runs in three overs as Rajasthan Royals were restricted to 143 for 9.

The victory was CSK's second in three matches, while Rajasthan Royals suffered their second defeat in three matches.

Earlier, left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat opened the bowling for the Royals, while Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis got the Chennai Super Kings innings underway.

The pair could only put on 25 runs before Mustafizur Rahman, who was introduced in the fourth over, ended the partnership. A clever change of pace by the Bangladesh left-arm pacer with his fifth delivery deceived Gaikwad, who came down the track, miscued the ball to the off-side and was caught by Shivam Dube.

Gaikwad was out for 10 off 13 balls and CSK were 25-1 after four overs.

Right-arm fast medium pacer Chris Morris them came into the attack in the sixth over and struck with his fourth delivery, having Faf du Plessis caught by Riyan Parag.

It was smart stuff from the pacer. He saw Faf backing away early and went wider, forcing the opener to stretch and reach for the ball. His fellow-South African could only slice it to Riyan Parag at sweeper cover.

Faf was out after an enterprising cameo of 33 from 17 balls and CSK were 46 for 2 after 6 overs.

Chennai Super Kings continued to slip as Rahul Tewatia, who was introduced into the attack in the 10th over, struck with his second delivery, dismissing Moeen Ali, caught by Riyan Parag.

Moeen was looking threatening after hitting two sixes but the right-arm leg break bowler sent down a wider googly knowing Moeen would target the leg-side boundary with the cross-batted stroke. The England all-rounder mistimed his hit and was caught by Parag at deep mid-wicket.

Moeen perished for 26 off 20 balls and the Super Kings were in a spot of bother at 79 for 3 in the tenth over.

Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu took CSK past the 100 mark in the 12th over with some cautious batting before the latter pulled Tewatia for a six over mid-wicket and then smashed the fifth ball straight down the ground for another six to maintain the flow of runs against the spinners.

Thirty runs came from the next two overs as CSK put up 112 for 3 in 12. However, Chetan Sakariya returned to the attack and ended the partnership, taking the key wicket of Rayudu, who slashed at a wide delivery and was caught at sweeper cover by Parag after a quick 27 off 17 balls. CSK were 124-4 after 13.2 overs.

Sakariya dealt another huge blow three deliveries later, taking out Raina, who tried to go over the top, but hit straight to Morris at mid-off and was out after a sedate 18 from 15 balls.

A terrific over from Sakariya; he conceded just five runs and dismissed both the well-set batsmen as CSK slumped to 126-5 after 13.5 overs.

It was left to two new, but seasoned batsmen in Ravindra Jadeja and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to see CSK through the last few overs. Dhoni scored a couple of before Sakariya returned for his fourth over to dismiss him.

Dhoni hit the first delivery through the covers for a four, but the bowler got his revenge off the next as the batsman swung hard but miscued the slower one and was caught in the covers for 18 off 17 balls. Sakaria bagged his third wicket as CSK were reduced to 148-6 in the 17th over.

Morris then dismissed Jadeja for 8 in the 19th over before Sam Curran was run-out after a scoring 13 off 6 balls, including a six, to the first ball of the final over.

CSK finished with 188 for 9, Dwayne Bravo hitting six off the last delivery to remain unbeaten on 20 off 8 balls. For the record, 61 runs were scored off the last five overs.

Deepak Chahar started off with the ball for CSK, while Jos Buttler and Manan Vohra opened for the Royals. The pair got off to a good start, putting on 30 runs, before Sam Curran struck after being hit for a six.

The left-arm pacer dropped short and was pulled by Vohra over midwicket for a six. However, the bowler got his man with the next delivery.

Trying a similar shot, Vohra pulled it straight into the hands of Ravindra Jadeja at deep midwicket and perished for 14. Rajasthan were 30 for 1 in the fourth over.

Curran then snared the big wicket of Royals captain Sanju Samson, who miscued the pull off a slow bouncer and was caught at mid-on by Dwayne Bravo for 1.

The England pacer took 2 for 12 in three overs to give CSK a good start with the ball, having reduced the Royals to 45 for 2 in six overs.

Needing 144 from 14 overs for victory, at an asking rate of 10, Buttler launched an assault. He hit two sixes and five fours before Jadeja bowled him for 49 off 35 balls.

The Royals were reduced to 87 for 3 in the 12th over.

Jadeja struck again, trapping Shivam Dube leg before wicket. The batsman had a long chat with his partner, David Miller, before taking the review at the last second.

The review showed the ball was going to hit the stumps. The decision stayed and Dube had to walk back after scoring 17.

Two wickets for Jadeja in the over saw the Royals slip to 90 for 4 in 12 overs, with 99 needed from eight overs for victory.

The Royals were collapsing against spin and Moeen Ali came into the attack and added to their misery, striking in his first over with the wicket of Miller for two.

The left-hander missed the sweep and was given out leg before wicket. He walked off without taking the review.

Three wickets for five runs in the last two overs and Royals were 92 for 5 in 13 overs.

New-man in Riyan Parag then went to hit Moeen big, but only sent the ball to the safe hands of Jadeja at deep midwicket.

Moeen struck again in the same over with the wicket of Chris Morris. The South African was unable to repeat his batting heroics from the previous game as his slog sweep went straight to Jadeja at deep midwicket. He was out for a duck as the Royals lost five wickets for eight runs off the last 21 balls.

Moeen had figures of 3 for 1 in the space of nine balls.

Bravo then got his first wicket as Tewatia sliced the last ball over the 19th over to Gaikwad and was dismissed for 20.

Unadkat continued to score some runs, hitting Shardul Thakur for a four off the first ball before the pacer bowled two wides in a row.

But Thakur had the last laugh, picking the wicket of Unadkat, who threw his bat at a wide delivery and Jadeja again took a good catch at sweeper cover.

That was Jadeja's fourth catch of the innings and he celebrated it by showing the 'phone call' sign to someone in the dressing room.

Royals finished on a disappointing 143/9 in their 20 overs as CSK register a resounding 43-run victory.

• IPL 2021