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Right then, Rajasthan Royals have managed to get off the mark and end their home leg in Guwahati with a win. This now leaves the Mumbai Indians as the only team without a win so far this season. But they have the chance to rectify that very soon as next up, the new week kicks off with a clash between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. That game will be played on Monday, 31 March and will begin at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but you can join us a lot sooner for the build-up. Until then, take care and goodbye!

Nitish Rana is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his fine knock of 81 off just 36 balls. Rana says that he tried to utilize the new ball to the max, and knew how important the Powerplay was going to be and also tried to play the field. Adds that whenever fine leg or third man was inside the ring, he knew he could utilize the pace and find those gaps and was going too hard in the previous two games. Mentions that he is ready to bat anywhere, but the coaches decided to make the change in this game, and the plan was to bat as deep as possible.

Riyan Parag, the captain of Rajasthan Royals is down for a chat. He says that it feels good to win as a captain, as it took three games. Adds that he feels that they were 20 runs short, going back after the end of the first inning, but the couple of wickets in the early phase of the second inning were game-changers as they bowled pretty well. Mentions that they had two tough games with the bowling as they went for above 280 in the first one and weren't able to defend 150 runs in the second, so the bowlers had to forget that and came out with different plans. He feels that luckily, he had seven bowling options, including him and Nitish, and as per the condition and situation, he chose Sandeep to bowl out the final one, and he defended that. Concludes that the fielding always makes up for the runs short and the team has worked hard on that aspect.

The Presentation ceremony...

Wanindu Hasaranga, the top performer with the ball for RR, is in for a chat next. He says he tried to bowl at the stumps and then bowl wider while keeping it all simple and sticking to the plans. Mentions that Ruturaj Gaikwad batted really well and it was his wicket that pleases him the most. Talks about the fielding and appreciates the catches taken by Riyan Parag and Hetmyer. Concludes that they have a good bowling attack and everybody has a specific role, and all the bowlers played well in this game.

The skipper of Chennai Super Kings, Ruturaj Gaikwad, says that during the Powerplay in the first inning, Nitish Rana batted really well, and they gave away too many runs there. Adds that they weren’t proactive there and they should have contained the opposition in that phase, which could have saved them. Mentions that the fielding cost them 8-10 run,s and they will try to improve that aspect. States that 180 was a chaseable score on this wicket, and it was a good pitch to bat on, and he was pretty happy at the end of the first inning as he felt that they had stopped RR under 20-30 runs from a good score. Concludes that Ajinkya Rahane used to bat at number three for them in the last couple of seasons, and he wanted to replicate that so that Rahul Tripathi can bat aggressively at the top. And there has not been much difference, as he had to come out to bat in the first or second over. He says that he is pretty happy to bat at number three and that he wants to hold one end. Concludes that he will look forward to the next match, and there have been a lot of positives, especially in the bowling, and they need to put the pressure back with batting also in the upcoming games.

Earlier in the game, Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss and put the Royals into bat. Khaleel Ahmed got the early breakthrough by dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal, but after that, there was carnage from Nitish Rana as he smoked it to all parts of the ground. It was only after Noor Ahmed came into the attack that the Super Kings managed to pick up their 2nd wicket. Rana set things up wonderfully for RR with a blistering 81 off just 36 balls. However, in the second half of the innings, CSK bowlers hit back, led by Matheesha Pathirana and his wonderful spell that kept the Royals to around the 180-run mark, which was about 20 runs short of what everyone expected after that start.

The Super Kings will feel they left things too late and with 39 needed in the final two overs, it was always going to be one heck of an effort to get the win. A rare slim outing for Rachin Ravindra after which Rahul Tripathi and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad led the counterattack. Gaikwad was the one who kept on pressing the issue as wickets started to tumble around him. He too got out at the wrong time after surpassing his 50 and it was up to the experienced pairing of Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni to conjure up a miracle. The duo took it deep but in the end, it was a bridge too far for them.

The Royals had a fairly decent total on board but had lost momentum heading into the innings break with just 42 runs coming in the final 6 overs of their batting. However, this all changed quickly as Jofra Archer bowled a perfect first over, which was a wicket maiden, getting the wicket of Rachin Ravindra in the process. RR kept things tight for the first few overs, but that final over of the Powerplay shifted the dynamic yet again. It was Wanindu Hasaranga who put his hand up in the middle over and picked up 4 wickets, a wicket each in every over of his spell. Archer wasn't used at the death, and Tushar Deshpande conceded plenty of runs, especially in the 19th over, but Sandeep Sharma showed why he has been one of the finest death bowlers in IPL in the last few years and sealed the win.

RAJASTHAN ROYALS ARE ON THE BOARD IN IPL 2025! A thoroughly entertaining game of cricket but eventually, it is the home side that has managed to hold their nerves with the ball and have handed Chennai Super Kings their second defeat of the season. CSK still haven't chased any target in excess of 180 runs since the 2019 season, which is staggering. This win now leaves RR level on points with CSK, both with one victory from 3 games.

Sandeep Sharma keeps his calm in the final over and Rajasthan Royals win their first game. They win this by 6 runs. On a length, outside off, Jamie Overton heaves it across to deep mid-wicket and takes two runs.

That should do it for Rajasthan Royals! Short and over off, Jamie Overton pulls it from well over his head to the right of deep mid-wicket for two runs.

SIX! 'Hang on' says Jamie Overton! Made it look very easy but that's a top shot. Very full and on middle, Jamie Overton hangs back and clubs it straight back over the bowler's head for a six. 11 runs needed off 2 balls now.

This is bowling to the plan! Superb execution! Darts it full and on off, Ravindra Jadeja can only whip it to long off for a single. 17 runs needed off the last 3 balls.

Nails the yorker again, on off, Jamie Overton drills it to long off for a single. 18 runs needed off the last 4 balls.

OUT! CAUGHT! Shimron Hetmyer takes a superb catch and that should be the game! Sandeep Sharma goes right in the blockhole, on off, MS Dhoni takes it on the full and powers it flat but doesn't get the desired distance. Hits it in front of deep mid-wicket and Shimron Hetmyer moves in and takes a fine catch low in front.

OUT! CAUGHT! Shimron Hetmyer takes a superb catch and that should be the game! Sandeep Sharma goes right in the blockhole, on off, MS Dhoni takes it on the full and powers it flat but doesn't get the desired distance. Hits it in front of deep mid-wicket and Shimron Hetmyer moves in and takes a fine catch low in front.

WIDE! An extra to begin the final over. Too short and over off, MS Dhoni leaves it alone.