Rajasthan set off the fireworks with an explosive batting performance as they beat Chennai Super Kings by 16 runs in a match that saw 416 runs being scored in match 4 of IPL 2020.
CSK, which was set a target of 217 after some spectacular power hitting by Sanju Samson, Steve Smith and Jofra Archer, managed to score 200 thanks to some late sixes by Faf du Plessis and MS Dhoni.
Sharjah, which has a smaller boundary than Dubai and Abu Dhabi, saw the teams level the IPL record for most sixes in a match with a mammoth tally of 33. While RR hit 17 sixes, Dhoni & Co sent 16 sailing over the ropes.
However, the final scorecard belies a rather one-sided match as Chennai never realistically threatened to steal the match away. Despite some urgent big hitting in the final overs of their innings, Chennai had a nearly impossible mountain to climb as they needed 135 in their last 10 overs.
Samson’s explosive knock of 74 in just 32 balls comprising nine sixes gifted Rajasthan the momentum that Chennai never managed to recover from completely.
CSK seemed to lack the intensity from their win against Mumbai Indians as they receded into a sluggish innings after the powerplay.
1. SANJU ‘SIXER’ SAMSON
Man of the match Samson, who has two IPL centuries under his belt, came out at number three in the third over. He never let spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Piyush Chawla settle as he clobbered them for eight sixes.
Samson hit nine sixes in total – more than any hit in the six completed innings so far in IPL 2020.
This statistic of Samson’s nine sixes assumes greater significance given the Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings clash saw five sixes in the entire match, while the Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad match witnessed only seven sixes in total.
Samson was also electric behind the stumps, taking a blinder to dismiss Kedar Jadhav and effecting two sharp stumpings.
2. CSK SQUANDER POWERPLAY ADVANTAGE
Chennai, facing a required run rate of 10.85 when they came out to bat, matched Rajasthan in the powerplay. They scored 53 without losing a wicket while RR had managed 54/1 in the opening six overs.
However, the trajectory went southwards from thereon. Unlike Rajasthan, which continued to capitalise on their good start with some determined big hitting from Samson and Smith, Dhoni’s men lost 4 wickets for 24 runs in the three overs following the powerplay.
At the end of 10 overs, CSK managed only 82 with the loss of 4 wickets while Rajasthan had piled up 119 runs after losing just a single batsman.
3. DHONI’S COSTLY DRS ERROR
Rajasthan’s innings got a lucky break in the ninth over when Chennai captain Dhoni decided against appealing Ravindra Jadeja’s LBW appeal against Steve Smith. Replays showed the ball was hitting the leg stump. Smith, who was batting on 31 at the time, went on to bat for another ten overs.
This is significant because this was Captain Dhoni’s second consecutive DRS error in two matches. Dhoni, who is known for his accuracy with DRS reviews, had unsuccessfully appealed a not out decision off Piyush Chawla’s bowling against MI in the opening match of the IPL.
However, while the first error did not prove costly, the one against Rajasthan allowed Smith to add 37 vital runs to the team total.
4. STEVE SMITH COMES TO THE PARTY
In a move that surprised many, captain Smith walked out with young Yashasvi Jaiswal to open the innings for Rajasthan. Smith has never opened in a T20, first class match. He is, however, expected to move down the order once Jos Buttler joins the team.
Smith played the perfect complimentary role in the first ten overs while Samson was going ballistic. In the second half of the innings, he held on to his end as wickets kept tumbling in quick succession at the other.
His decision to open showed positive intent as captain and ensured RR cross 200.
5. JOFRA ARCHER’S LAST OVER HEROICS
English all-rounder Jofra Archer’s last over fireworks saw Chennai concede 30 runs to allow Smith & Co cross the 200-mark. Alongside the missed DRS opportunity, Chennai will surely look at RR’s final over as one that swung the match decisively in the opponent’s camp. Rajasthan were at 186 and a tight last over could’ve meant victory for the Men in Yellow.
ALSO...A BIZARRE UMPIRING MOMENT
The innings also saw its share of drama after Tom Curran was given out but called back after the umpires decided to ‘review’ their own decision.
The replays clearly showed that the ball had hit Curran’s thigh pad and did not even carry to Dhoni behind the stumps. The third umpire eventually overturned the controversial call.
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