The Rajasthan Royals (RR) secured their first victory of IPL 2025 with a 6-run win over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Guwahati on Sunday. Despite MS Dhoni’s spectacular six towards the end, CSK fell short, ending at 176/6 while chasing a target of 183 set by RR.
Batting first, Rajasthan posted a competitive total of 182/9, led by Nitish Rana’s stellar score of 81 runs off 52 balls. Wanindu Hasaranga shone with the ball, claiming four crucial wickets to derail CSK’s chase. This victory marked a much-needed turnaround for RR after two consecutive losses.
Rajasthan’s Innings
Having to bat first after losing the toss, RR had a shaky start as they lost early wickets. However, Nitish Rana anchored the innings with his composed yet aggressive batting.
His partnerships with middle-order batters ensured RR reached a defendable total despite a late collapse caused by Matheesha Pathirana’s disciplined bowling (2/28).
CSK’s bowlers kept the pressure on, with Pathirana and Maheesh Theekshana delivering economical spells. However, RR managed to capitalise on loose deliveries in the middle overs to set a challenging target.
Chennai’s Chase
In response, CSK began cautiously but lost momentum as RR’s bowlers struck at regular intervals. Ruturaj Gaikwad (47 off 36) provided some stability, but the middle order struggled against Hasaranga’s spin. Shivam Dube and Dhoni tried to revive the chase in the death overs, but Hasaranga’s dismissal of Dube proved decisive.
Needing 19 runs off the final over, Dhoni hit a six but couldn’t guide his team to victory as Sandeep Sharma held his nerve to defend the target successfully.
Turning Points
The match saw several pivotal moments, including Riyan Parag’s stunning catch to dismiss Dube and Hasaranga’s dismissal of Dhoni in the penultimate over. Rana’s innings and Hasaranga’s four-wicket haul were instrumental in RR’s win.
