IPL: Rajasthan Royals sets target of 217 runs for Chennai Super Kings

Sharjah: A final over cameo by Jofra Archer enabled Rajasthan Royals to post a mammoth total of 216 runs in their allotted 20 overs against Chennai Super Kings at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday.

Archer smashed four sixes in the final over of CSK as Lungi Ngidi went for 30 runs in the 20th over.

Worst start

Put in to bat, Rajasthan Royals had a worst possible start with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal walking back to the pavilion in the third over.


Sharjah: Rajasthan Royals batsman Sanju Samson plays a shot during a cricket match against Chennai Super Kings of IPL 2020, at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, in Sharjah of United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020. (PTI Photo/Sportzpics)
Sharjah: Rajasthan Royals captain Steve Smith plays a shot during a cricket match against Chennai Super Kings of IPL 2020, at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, in Sharjah of United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020. (PTI Photo/Sportzpics)(PTI22-09-2020_000234B)
Sharjah: Rajasthan Royals captain Steve Smith plays a shot during a cricket match against Chennai Super Kings of IPL 2020, at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, in Sharjah of United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020. (PTI Photo/Sportzpics)(PTI22-09-2020_000235B)

Sanju Samson then joined skipper Steven Smith and bludgeoned the Chennai Super Kings’ bowling attack. Samson whacked nine sixes in his blistering innings of 72 runs from just 32 balls.

The duo formed mammoth 121 runs stand for the second wicket before Lungi Ngidi ended Samson’s innings in the 12th over. David Miller had a disappointing end as he got run out without even having a stroke.

To continue the momentum, Robin Uthappa tried to go for the big shot towards long-off, but Faf du Plessis took a great catch reducing Royals to 160/4. Meanwhile, Smith continued his stellar batting and scored boundaries at regular intervals.

Sam Curran scalped two wickets

Sam Curran scalped two wickets in his third over and then dismissed Smith in his fourth over to put a brake on Royals’ momentum in the game.

However, a late onslaught by Jofra Archer helped Rajasthan Royals get pass the 200 run mark.

For CSK, Curran took three while Chahar, Ngidi, and Piyush Chawla scalped one wicket each.