IPL 2018 Live Cricket Score, CSK vs RR: Chennai Super Kings host Rajasthan Royals in Pune. (Source: IPL)
IPL 2018 Live Cricket Score, CSK vs RR: Rajasthan Royals won the toss and put Chennai Super Kings in to bat at the Maharashtra Cricket Stadium. In the team changes, Suresh Raina returned to CSK’s XI after missing two games due to injury. Elsewhere, CSK also brought in Karn Sharma for Harbhajan Singh. For Rajasthan Royals, Heinrich Klaasen and Stuart Binny came in for Darcy Short and Dhawal Kulkarni. Shane Watson scored a sublime 106 runs from 57 balls to power CSK to 204/5. He found support from Suresh Raina at one end with the left-hander scoring 46 runs on his return. With the ball, Shreyas Gopal performed the best of the lot to pick up three wickets even as others were taken to the cleaners by Watson’s big hitting. It is the first contest between two teams who were suspended for a two year period and will square off for the first time since 2015.
Faf du Plessis reacts after a shoe was hurled at him in Chennai. (Source: PTI)
Highlights
Eight runs from the final Ben Laughlin over. Two runs on the final over as he fails to collect the ball for the run out on Bravo. CSK finish with 204/5 after 20 overs
Shane Watson departs for 106 from 57 balls. What a knock this was. Tried to go big to Ben Laughlin but only ends up getting the outside edge which is taken by keeper Jos Buttler with ease. Some of the RR players go up to Watto to congratulate him. CSK are 202/5
12 runs off the penultimate over by Ben Stokes. Two boundaries in the over, first at the start and then on the final ball. CSK move on to 196/4 after 19 overs
Sanju Samson drops one to let Dwayne Bravo bat on. Tries to repeat the last ball's boundary off the cut but doesn't get the elevation. Samson jumps at backward point but only ends up pushing it up. Another chance squandered by Rajasthan
The crowd roars in anticipation as Shane Watson comes on to the crease to bring up his hundred. His family looks on excitedly. Rahane changes the field. But all that for nought as Watson tucks it for a single on to the off side and brings up his 100 from 51 balls. This is his fourth T20 hundred and third in the IPL and ofcourse it comes against his former side,
More than any other bowler in Rajasthan's lineup, it is Shreyas Gopal who has bowled the best. How many expected that to happen? He finishes his final over with a wicket and concedes four runs. Final figures: 4-0-20-3.
Third wicket on the day for Shreyas Gopal and Sam Billings is gone for 3 from 7 balls. CSK are 161/4 after 15.1 overs. Billings went deep into his crease to play the pull but doesn't get the distance required to beat Ben Stokes at deep mid-wicket. Rajasthan Royals coming back into it with some wickets
K Gowtham with yet another catch on the boundary and he has played a key role in the big wicket of MS Dhoni. For a second it looked like he had let it go but after a juggle, he holds on. Dhoni comes down the track but doesn't get close to the pitch of the ball. Smokes it well towards the long on fielder where Gowtham is on hand to take the catch. Shreyas Gopal the bowler once again. After 14 overs, CSK are 153/3. Dhoni gone for 5 from 3 balls
Four boundaries off the Stuart Binny over - three by Watson and one by Dhoni on the last ball of the over and CSK are thumping RR. This is pure carnage by Chennai. Raina's wicket has done nothing to slow them down. It brings up 150/2 in 13 overs
Suresh Raina walks back to the dugout after a fantastic catch by K Gowtham at the boundary rope. And that's an absolute stunner. Shreyas Gopal the bowler, Raina sweeps it and it goes towards Gowtham who moves swiftly to take the catch inches from the ground while moving forward. Very difficult technique and so effortlessly executed. CSK are 131/2 and Raina departs for 46 from 29 balls
Jaydev Unadkat is back into the attack for RR and try to curtail the free flowing runs. Gets a decent start before Raina turns things around. After two dot balls, concedes two singles. But Raina doesn't allow the over to go without a boundary. Steps aside and creates room for himself. Slashes it hard over the fielder inside the circle for a boundary. And that brings up CSK's 100 in the 10th over. Next ball, he goes on to the leg side for a repeat outcome - boundary.
Shane Watson had turned silent briefly but he's back into attack mode with Gowtham the one facing the music. Gets to his fifty with a thumping six. Follows it up with a boundary and another six for good measure. Acknowledges the crowd after the milestone. CSK are 97/1 after 9 overs
What was Gowtham doing! Had the chance and time to compose himself and throw comfortably to get Suresh Raina out but he gets too excited and fails to spot Rahane backing him at the bowler's end. Off balance he tries to find the single stump himself but misses completely. Raina was nowhere in the picture
FOUR BY FOUR FOR CSK! Suresh Raina with four consecutive boundaries off Ben Stokes and CSK end the powerplay overs with 69/1. What a resounding start for hosts
Before departing, Rayudu and Watson had put together third quickest 50-run stand for CSK in IPL. They had taken 22 balls against KKR the other day but today they take 26 balls. Smith and McCullum had taken 25 balls in 2015
50 runs on the board and CSK lose their first wicket. Ambati Rayudu walks back after a crucial interruption to proceedings by Laughlin. Strikes in his very first over. Length ball by Laughlin, just outside the off stump and Rayudu tried to cut it away but too close to the body in the end. CSK are 50/1 in the 5th over
Shane Watson is off to a flier here in Pune. What a resounding beginning to CSK's inning here at the MCA. Jaydev Unadkat had been under pressure due to his price tag earlier and he's not really helped the cause much in his first over today. Thumped for two sixes by Watson and CSK are on to 37/0 after 3 overs
Rahul Tripathi drops an absolute sitter! Comfortable height, little pace on it and Tripathi lets it go at first slip and Watson survives. Full lengthy delivery outside off by Binny, the outswinger brings an outside edge and it goes towards first slip. Tripathi with an easy chance to hold but he makes a complete hash of it.
Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu open for CSK. Stuart Binny with the ball...and he starts with a no ball to give away a free hit. A slower ball and Watson is quick to latch on to it and thumps it down the ground for a boundary. Next ball, another boundary. What a start for CSK!
Big boost for CSK with Suresh Raina back in the XI. How much of an impact will he make?
Rajasthan Royals: Ajinkya Rahane(c), Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler(w), Heinrich Klaasen, Stuart Binny, Krishnappa Gowtham, Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat, Ben Laughlin
Chennai Super Kings: Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Sam Billings, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar, Karn Sharma, Shardul Thakur, Imran Tahir
Rahane: The pitch looks good for forty overs. The guys are in a good mood, so looking forward to tonight. We have made two changes: Klaasen and Binny are in, D'Arcy and Dhawal out.
Dhoni: (on his back), let's see after 3.5 hours how it feels.
Rajasthan Royals have won the toss in Pune and Ajinkya Rahane has put Chennai Super Kings in to bat in their first home game in Pune. That would certainly please the home crowd
Hello and Good Evening for our live coverage of Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals at.... Pune. The change in venue could be a massive difference in the fortunes of CSK who had made the M Chidamabaram Stadium a fortress. Change in venue and things may turn different for CSK. Even as protests started in Chennai, the team remained on course for the win.