IPL 2025, RR vs CSK, Hits & Flops: Nitish Rana’s blistering 81 and Wanindu Hasaranga’s 4-35 put CSK on the back foot as Rajasthan Royals secure their first win of the season.
Brief scores: RR 182/9 (Nitish Rana 81, Noor Ahmed 2/28) beat CSK 176/6 (Ruturaj Gaikwad 63, Wanindu Hasaranga 4/35) by 6 runs.
Rajasthan Royals kept their cool to win a thriller by 6 runs against Chennai Super Kings at Guwahati in IPL 2025 on Sunday. Asked to bat first, Rajasthan Royals made 182/9 before restricting CSK to 176/6. Nitish Rana of RR was the top-scorer of the match with 81, while Wanindu Hasaranga bagged 4/35. Notably, CSK last chased down a 180+ score in IPL 2018.
Hits from RR vs CSK game
Nitish Rana’s blazing half-century
Nitish Rana was promoted to No 3 after Yashasvi Jaiswal got out to keep the left-right combination with the other opener Sanju Samson. Rana looked in sublime touch and did the bulk of the scoring in the powerplay. He took on R Ashwin, cracking 2 sixes and a four in the fifth over of the innings. In the last over of the powerplay, Rana blasted Khaleel Ahmed’s bowling for two fours and one six to reach his fifty off just 21 balls. Rana was so destructive in powerplay that he scored 58 runs off the total 79 runs scored during this phase. When Ashwin came on to bowl later, Rana clobbered a six and a four before getting dismissed and stumped off a wide ball. Rana has a good record against Ashwin, scoring 141 runs off 71 balls at a strike rate of 198.59 with 1 dismissal against the veteran off-spinner. Thanks to Rana, Rajasthan reached 124/3 in just 11.3 overs.
Matheesha Pathirana’s tidy spell saw RR finish 20 runs short
Rajasthan looked poised to score above 200, but it could not be as CSK pulled things back post the dismissal of Rana. Matheesha Pathirana helped CSK restrict the flow of runs with some accurate full-length deliveries in the death overs. In the 3 overs bowled by Pathirana between overs 16 to 20, he conceded 16 runs while taking 2 wickets. Pathirana bowled tight line and lengths that didn’t allow Rajasthan power-hitters to go for the big shots. Pathirana ended with 2/28 in 4 overs, but thanks to his spell, CSK was able to limit Rajasthan total to 182/9 when it looked to go beyond 200 at one stage.
Wanindu Hasaranga’s 4/35 derail CSK chase
The Sri Lankan spinner took 4/35 to help Rajasthan from stopping Chennai to run away with the game. Whenever Chennai were looking to build a partnership, Hasaranga came to pick a wicket. Hasarana picked up a wicket in each of his first three overs, never letting CSK off the hook. He came back for his fourth over to dismiss the dangerous Ruturaj Gaikwad who was looking to finish off the chase. Hasaranga’s tight line and length deliveries were difficult to get away with. Credit to Hasaranga for mixing his deliveries. It bodes well for Rajasthan that they have their main strike spinner among the wickets that will keep them in good stead in the later part of the tournament.
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Flops from RR vs CSK game
CSK unable to maximise powerplay
For the second straight match, CSK faltered in the chase. The six-run loss against RR would hurt as CSK could have gone past the finish line. CSK have themselves to blame for the twin losses, and would agree that the fault lies in their inability to make the maximum out of the powerplay. CSK could manage only 42 runs in the powerplay against RR at just 7 runs per over. It left a lot to be done in the fag end, which the team could not deliver. Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad did try his best to make up for the slow start with 44-ball 63, but eventually he fell in the bid to accelerate as a slow start has upped the asking rate. In the previous game against Bengaluru, CSK had managed just 30 runs for 3 wickets in the powerplay in chase of 197. And it left too much to do for the lower-order batters. CSK need to find a way to improve their scoring in the powerplay.
The way forward
CSK need to regroup themselves and find solutions to their poor powerplay score when they face Delhi Capitals on April 5. CSK have lost two matches on the trot after winning their opening clash against Mumbai. Rajasthan face Punjab Kings on April 5 to build on their first win of the tournament.
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Top Twitter Reactions from Rajasthan Royals vs CSK, Guwahati, IPL 2025
CSK suffer another setback failing to overhaul a not-so-imposing target. Rajasthan win taut match. Superb knock by Rana followed by fine bowling by Lankan spinners Hasaranga and Theekshana. RR on points table. The competition is getting keener. CSK meanwhile in a rut of sorts
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 30, 2025
28 in first 5 is not a start you expect when chasing a 180+ score and having lost just 1 wkt in the powerplay. CSK did well to get close but they left it too late. Credit to @rajasthanroyals, Rana and Hasaranga too good, well played 👏🏻 #RRvCSK #IPL2025
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) March 30, 2025
Sandeep sharma 👏
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) March 30, 2025
Most runs off a bowler without getting dismissed (IPL)
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) March 30, 2025
KL Rahul off Deepak Chahar (158 off 99, SR 160)
Nitish Rana off R Ashwin (131 off 69, SR 190)
AB de Villiers off Lasith Malinga (124 off 61, SR 203)
Dinesh Karthik off Jaydev Unadkat (124 off 62, SR 200)#RRvCSK
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