IPL 2023, CSK vs RR: Rajasthan defeated CSK in last-ball finish

IPL 2023: MS Dhoni's smashing 32 runs in 17 balls goes in vain as his score fails to win CSK win the match

Rajasthan Royals won its third match of the season against four-time champions Chennai Super Kings. In a nail-biting match, Sandeep Sharma defended 21 runs in the last over against CSK's skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.

IPL has had four exciting matches on four consecutive days so far.

CSK vs RR was no exception on Wednesday. The result was on the edge till the last ball: Dhoni was batting and CSK required five runs in the last ball, and all results were possible. But Sandeep Sharma's fine yorker in critical time clinched the match from CSK's hand.

RR defended 175 runs

Batting first, RR lost the early wicket of in-form batter Jaiswal at a score of 11 runs. English batter Jos Buttler (52 runs in 36 balls) again rescued his team, getting support from Devdutt Padikkal (38 runs in 26 balls) to build a partnership of 77 runs for the second wicket.

Rajasthan Royals' captain Sanju Samson (0 Runs) again lost his wicket without scoring a run. Disciplined batting from Ashwin (30 runs in 22 balls) and the finishing touch from Hetmyer (30 runs in 18 balls) helped Rajasthan to reach a fighting total of 175 runs.

While chasing, CSK also lost an early wicket of its man in form Ruturaj Gaikwad (8 runs in 10 balls) at a score of 10 runs. Then Ajinkya Rahane (31 in 19 balls) and Devon Conway's (50 in 38 balls) 68-run partnership helped CSK to fight back.

At the end of the game, CSK skipper Dhoni (32 runs in 17 balls) and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (25 runs in 15 balls) almost took away the game from RR. 58 runs were needed in 18 balls, and then we have seen a master class from Dhoni and Jadeja. In the last over, CSK needed 21 runs, and Dhoni smashed two sixes, but Sandeep Sharma's three on-spot yorkers helped RR to win the match by 3 runs.

RR Skipper fined 12 lakhs for slow over-rate

Samson was fined Rs 12 lakh for a slow over-rate against Chennai Super Kings last night.

In a press release, IPL said, "Rajasthan Royals have been fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during their TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 match 17 against Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai on Wednesday.

As it was the team’s first offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, captain Sanju Samson was fined Rs 12 lakhs."