:- K Aditya
Abu Dhabi:Riding on Yashasvi Jaiswal's 50 and Shivam Dube's 64*, Rajasthan Royals (RR) defeated table-toppers Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by seven wickets in a high-scoring match at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, here on Saturday.
Put into bat first, Ruturaj Gaikwad scored a 60-ball 101* to help CSK set challenging 189-run target for the loss of five wickets. However, RR's strong reply in a 19-ball 50 by Yashasvi Jaiswal during the Powerplay, followed by 64 run innings off 42 balls by Shivam Dube wrapped up the match with 15 balls to spare.
The defeat will have no impact on CSK's standing at the top of the table but are now tied on 18 points with Delhi Capitals, who defeated Mumbai Indians earlier in the day. Royals, on the other hand, are now tied on 10 points in a four-way battle for the fourth spot with Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians.
Chasing a challenging 190 runs total, RR's in-form opener Jaiswal played the knock of his life during a 77-run opening stand with Evin Lewis. Yashasvi came down heavily on pacer Josh Hazelwood by smashing him for 38 runs in two overs; reaching his half century in just 19 deliveries in due process.
The 19-year-old southpaw went on to clobber CSK bowlers six fours and three sixes. Three of the boundaries came in the second over bowled of Hazlewood, who came into the match after taking five wickets in the last two games.
The youngster took him for 22 more runs in the fifth over; smashing a boundary and three sixes, crossing 50 run-mark in style. Lewis also tried keeping up with Jaiswal as he smashed two fours and as many sixes from the other end during his 12-ball 27 innings.
CSK then came back in the game with the quick wickets of both the openers in space of six balls to change the score to 81/2 in 6.1 overs.
The dismissals, however, turned out to be anomalies during the chase as Shivam Dube and skipper Sanju Samson added a firework-filled 89 runs for the third wicket to turn the odds further in RR's favour. To RR's advantage, the duo were allowed to have the comfort of taking their time in the middle after the Jaiswal storm brought down the required rate significantly.
With the ball coming to the bat nicely, Dube was the first to take initiative in the partnership as RR went past 100 with a six in the ninth over. The left-handed batter then smashed two massive sixes off spinner Moeen Ali, allowing his captain to settle into an anchor role at the other end. The next five overs saw the partnership add 46 runs to take the match beyond CSK's reach, Dube did the bulk of hitting with three fours and a six.
Shardul Thakur earned CSK a late consolation with the wicket of Samson (28 off 24), However, with 20 runs needed off 26 deliveries after the RR captain's departure meant the side had little to worry. Dube remained not out at 64, along with Glenn Phillips (14* off 8), as RR chased down the target with 16 balls to spare.(UNI)
