21 May, 2025 | 12:40 PM
Rajasthan Royals (RR) wrapped up their Indian Premier League 2025 campaign on a positive note, defeating Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by six wickets in Delhi. The win, built on Akash Madhwal's late-innings brilliance and a composed half-century from Vaibhav Suryavanshi, helped RR finish momentarily off the bottom of the table after a largely disappointing season.
Despite losing eight of their nine previous games while chasing, RR took the bold decision to bowl first—and it finally paid off. They restricted CSK to 187 for 8, thanks to Madhwal's death-over mastery and a three-wicket haul from Yudhvir Singh. RR then chased down the target with 17 balls to spare, powered by Suryavanshi’s 57 off 33, and vital contributions from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, and Dhruv Jurel.
CSK’s innings got off to a chaotic start as they lost five wickets within the first eight overs, all to regulation length deliveries that neither swung nor seamed. Yudhvir Singh capitalised on this indecision to claim three wickets, including that of Ravindra Jadeja.
A 56-run partnership between Ayush Mhatre (43 off 20) and R Ashwin briefly stabilised CSK’s innings, followed by a solid 59-run stand between Dewald Brevis (42 off 25) and Shivam Dube (39). However, any hopes of a big finish were stifled by Madhwal’s exceptional reverse swing in the final overs, as CSK managed just 17 runs off the last 18 balls.
In contrast to their previous chases, RR began confidently. Jaiswal gave them a brisk start with a 19-ball 36, hitting the first legal delivery of the innings for a boundary—a feat he's now achieved 13 times in IPL history.
Suryavanshi and skipper Sanju Samson (41 off 27) then took charge, negotiating spin and pace with equal authority. Suryavanshi’s calculated aggression, including sixes off Noor Ahmad and Jadeja, kept RR ahead of the rate. Samson provided steady support, targeting former teammate Ashwin for maximums in both his overs.
Ashwin briefly brought CSK back into the game by removing both Samson and Suryavanshi in the 14th over, but Dhruv Jurel ensured there would be no collapse. His unbeaten 31 off just 12 balls included powerful hits off Jadeja, Noor, and Ashwin to close the match in emphatic fashion.
Jurel and Shimron Hetmyer remained unbeaten as RR reached 188 for 4, securing a rare successful chase to end their season on a high.
While the win didn’t change RR’s overall fortunes, it did lift them off the bottom of the table—for the moment. For CSK, the result added pressure ahead of their final game, which they now must win by a large margin to avoid finishing last for the first time in IPL history.
Scorecard Summary:
Chennai Super Kings: 187/8 (Mhatre 43, Brevis 42, Dube 39; Madhwal 3-29, Yudhvir 3-47)
Rajasthan Royals: 188/4 in 17.1 overs (Suryavanshi 57, Samson 41, Jaiswal 36, Jurel 31*; Ashwin 2-41)
Result: RR won by 6 wickets
Player of the Match: Akash Madhwal
