In the IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, pacer Simarjeet Singh from Chennai Super Kings showcased some impressive fast bowling skills.
At their home ground, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) played to their strengths perfectly. Unlike the batting-friendly pitches seen earlier in Chennai this season, the pitch for Sunday’s match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) was slow, setting the stage for a low-scoring game. In such conditions, CSK is typically dominant.
True to form, CSK secured a relatively comfortable five-wicket victory at the MA Chidambaram Stadium with 10 balls to spare. Pacer Simarjeet Singh (4-0-26-3) starred with the ball, restricting Rajasthan to 141/5, while captain Ruturaj Gaikwad guided the chase with an unbeaten 42 (41 balls, 1×4, 2×6). This win propels CSK to third place with 14 points from 13 matches. RR, with 16 points from 12 matches, are yet to confirm their playoff spot after suffering their third consecutive defeat.
Seeing Rajasthan struggle to accelerate, CSK capitalized on the fielding restrictions during the chase. Kiwi duo Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell supported Gaikwad as CSK reached 56/1 after six overs. With 86 runs required in 14 overs and nine wickets in hand, victory seemed straightforward for the hosts.
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However, the pitch conditions allowed Rajasthan’s bowlers to create some uncertainty in the middle overs. Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed Mitchell lbw in the eighth over, and Moeen Ali fell to the pressure, with CSK going 32 balls without a boundary at the time of his dismissal. Despite Shivam Dube’s quick cameo of 18 runs off 11 balls, CSK still needed 50 runs from 42 balls.
Rajasthan’s batting struggled from the start. While Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal avoided losing wickets in the powerplay, their partnership lacked momentum. Jaiswal fell trying to pull a back-of-a-length delivery, a recurring issue for him this season. Buttler attempted a risky shot and was caught on the boundary by Tushar Deshpande.
Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag also found it tough to time their shots on the sluggish pitch. Parag survived a dropped catch but couldn’t capitalize, eventually being dismissed by Simarjeet Singh. Despite a late effort from Parag and Dhruv Jurel, adding 40 runs for the fourth wicket, CSK maintained control throughout the match.