IPL 2025: Rajasthan Royals edge past Chennai Super Kings in a thrilling 6-run victory in Guwahati

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) faced their second consecutive defeat in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, falling short by six runs against Rajasthan Royals (RR) despite the presence of veteran MS Dhoni, who came in at number seven during their chase of 183.

The high-octane clash took place at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on March 30, where Rajasthan Royals, after losing the toss, were put in to bat first. The hosts made the most of the opportunity, securing their maiden win of the season with a nail-biting finish.

Batting first, Rajasthan Royals’ openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson had a brief stay at the crease, scoring just four and 20 runs, respectively. However, Nitish Rana’s explosive knock of 81 runs off 36 balls provided the much-needed momentum. Contributions from Riyan Parag (37 off 28) and Shimron Hetmyer (19 off 13) helped the Royals post a competitive total of 182 runs in their 20 overs.

For Chennai, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, and Khaleel Ahmed led the bowling attack, picking up two wickets each. Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with a wicket apiece.

Chasing 183, CSK had a disastrous start as opener Rachin Ravindra was dismissed for a duck. While Rahul Tripathi managed 23 runs, Ruturaj Gaikwad anchored the innings with a solid 63 off 44 balls. However, the middle-order struggled to build partnerships, with Shivam Dube (18), Vijay Shankar (9), and MS Dhoni (16) unable to take their side over the line.

With this victory, Rajasthan Royals secured their first win of the season, while Chennai Super Kings will look to bounce back after two back-to-back losses.