Rajasthan Royals held their nerves to defeat Chennai Super Kings in a thrilling encounter played at M Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on 12 April 2023 in the IPL 2023.
Sandeep Sharma was handed the final over as Chennai Super Kings required 21 runs. Sandeep coming as a replacement for Prasidh Krishna looked a little nervous with 2 wide deliveries. MS Dhoni took advantage with 2 successive sixes making the situation in favor of Chennai Super Kings.
With 7 runs required off the final 3 deliveries, Sandeep Sharma held onto his nerves with 3 brilliant yorkers to help Rajasthan Royals win the match by 3 runs. Dhoni and Jadeja put on unbeaten 59 runs for the 7th wicket almost taking CSK to an impossible win.
Chasing down 176 to win, it was not an ideal start for CSK as inform Ruturaj Gaikwad was dismissed cheaply by Sandeep Sharma. Ajiyanka Rahane continued his impressive form with attacking shots while Devon Conway struggled. At the end of the first six overs, CSK made 45 for 1.
Adam Zampa was bought as an impact player by RR. After the field restrictions, RR spinners kept a lid on CSK’s batting despite Rahane going strong. Rahane and Conway added 68 runs for the 2nd wicket as Ashwin dismissed Rahane. R Ashwin struck again to dismiss Shivam Dube to leave CSK in trouble.
Conway completed his fifty off 37 deliveries with the required climbing. Yuzvendra Chahal struck twice in the same over dismissing Devon Conway and impact player Ambati Rayudu to leave CSK in trouble. MS Dhoni showed his class by smashing Adam Zampa for big shots.
With 40 runs required off 2 overs, Jadeja took the charge against Jason Holder smashing him for 2 sixes and 1 four to make the situation 21 runs in the last over.
After being asked to bat first by MS Dhoni, Yashvi Jaiswal was dismissed cheaply by Deshpande caught by Shivam Dube. Jos Buttler and Devdutt Paddikal looked in fine touch putting pressure on CSK bowlers right from the word go.
Ravindra Jadeja looked impressive again getting wickets of DDP and Sanju Samson off successive deliveries. DDP and Buttler added 77 runs for the 2nd wicket. Jos Buttler continued his impressive with 3rd fifty from 33 deliveries.
R Ashwin and Jos Buttler added 47 runs for the 4th wicket. Shimron Hetymer scored an unbeaten 30 off 18 deliveries to help RR post 175 for 8 in 20 overs. For CSK, Akash Singh, Tushar Deshpande, and Ravindra Jadeja grabbed 2 wickets while Moeen Ali took 1 important wicket of Moeen Ali.
Here is how Twitterati reacted:
Hammaya… dhoni fans challabadandi ra…
— OldMonk (@punIntended_247) April 12, 2023
Ayya Dhoni garu… pic.twitter.com/Ilu55ko07K
— చాండ్లర్😳 (@chandler999999) April 12, 2023
Csk CSK csk…
Dhoni dhoni dhoni
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣— devil_king (@Being_virat01) April 12, 2023
Secretly wished to see Dhoni win it for CSK with a last-ball six 💔 Mahi is an emotion!
— 𝒟𝓇.🅁 🄺 🅅 (@coincidentaldoc) April 12, 2023
Incredible game. Well done to Dhoni for still instilling belief even at this stage, and well done to Sandeep Sharma as well to brilliantly recover after giving 14 runs in his first 3 balls.
Outstanding cricket all around. https://t.co/s22hwODKVc
— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) April 12, 2023
Highest peak viewership on JioCinema for IPL 2023:
2.2cr – CSK Vs RR.
1.8cr – RCB Vs LSG.
1.7cr – MI Vs DC.
1.7cr – CSK Vs LSG.
1.6cr – CSK Vs GT. pic.twitter.com/clISCv8xEp— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 12, 2023
#Dhoni Champ 👏💥
— Salaar 🔥 (@BireddyGoutham) April 12, 2023
Source :- Trust Dhoni finishing
— Rajath (@Rajath_Viratian) April 12, 2023
Tough luck Dhoni bhai but we’ll played 🦁🔥🚁#MSDhoni𓃵 #IPL2023 #CSK pic.twitter.com/JsNu6snMdC
— vaibhav(inactice) (@VAIBHAV3126) April 12, 2023
Welll ! Take a bow Sandeep Sharma, with chepauk screaming, Dhoni hitting, Jadeja beaming !
This was not easy ! #IPL23 #TATAIPL2023 #CSKvsRR
— Ridhima Pathak (@PathakRidhima) April 12, 2023
Vintage @msdhoni show at the end but full credit to @sandeep25a on a brilliant last delivery!! Nicely bowled by the spin trio @ashwinravi99, @yuzi_chahal & Zampa in the middle!! 👏🏾 Yet another terrific game of cricket tonight! ⚡️🤟🏾 #CSKvRR
— Robin Aiyuda Uthappa (@robbieuthappa) April 12, 2023
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