Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) played what was another thriller last in the IPL 2023 season at Chepauk on Wednesday. Chasing 176 to win, CSK lost by just three runs and the visitors reined in their nerves to win two crucial points.
Jos Buttler’s half-century and crucial cameos from others helped RR post 175/8 in his 20 overs. Although Devon Conway scored a fifty in reply, the hosts seemed to be going nowhere in the chase until MS Dhoni decided to turn the clock around.
Even with 40 runs needed in the last two overs, Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja gave hope that a CSK win was still on the cards and even narrowed the equation down to just seven from three balls. However, Sandeep Sharma delivered under pressure to ensure Chennai fell three runs short.
Along those lines, let’s take a look at three moments from the game that caught the attention of fans:
#3 Ravindra Jadeja’s double wicket over
Ravindra Jadeja has been in sensational form of late with the ball, having won the Man of the Match award in his previous game against Mumbai Indians. In a field where no other CSK player was consistent enough, Jadeja extracted the most turns and threw some unplayable deliveries.
RR, despite losing Yashasvi Jaiswal early on, got off to a fun start thanks to Devdutt Padikkal’s positive intent. While Jos Buttler continued to play his natural game from the winger, Padikkal provided a much-needed boost the team had come to expect from him.
At 88/1 in the ninth, it looked like the Royals could get to a score of over 200. However, in the space of three innings, Jadeja turned the innings around. He first dismissed Padikkal and then bowled an absolute peach to clear out RR skipper Sanju Samson for a duck.
It could have been three wickets in the same over if Moeen Ali had held on to Ravichandran Ashwin’s first-spring catch.
#2 MS Dhoni’s twin sixes in the final
The debate over whether MS Dhoni should hit higher for CSK gained momentum after the veteran played another incredible cameo batting at No.8. The match seemed to have slipped out of Chennai’s hands as they needed 54 runs off 18 balls, but Dhoni and Jadeja kept finding limits at regular intervals to stay alive.
21 runs were needed from the last over, and after a couple of wides and a well-executed yorker, the equation looked extremely difficult with 19 runs needed from five balls. However, MS Dhoni crushed the next two balls for six and suddenly the equation was down to just seven for three.
Although CSK did not win the match, those two sixes from Dhoni made the fans believe that, even at the ripe age of 41, he is still one of the best finishers in the business.
#1 Sandeep Sharma’s three yorkers helping RR to win
With seven runs needed from three balls and a well-placed MS Dhoni in strike, RR seemed to have lost his way. However, Sandeep Sharma proved how crucial experience is in such situations as he chose plan B and just kept things simple.
The pacer tried to spike his yorkers around the wicket to Dhoni and used the wide yorker over the wicket to Jadeja. CSK could only muster three singles from the last three installments as RR secured a thrilling win.
Fans praised Sandeep for believing in his abilities under pressure as he bowled Dhoni, arguably one of the best finishers the game has seen.
You can see the best moments of the game here.