That ends another lopsided game. There is a certain change in the norm now. Initially, it were the teams winning while chasing but from the past week games, they are more comfortable while defending. Tomorrow is the weekend and we have a double-header coming our way. The first game will see Kolkata hosting Punjab and then later in the evening Bangalore will welcome Delhi. The action start at 1600 IST. Do tune in for that. Until then, goodbye and cheers!
No surprise, then! Shane Watson has been adjudged the Man of the Match as he scored a rollicking ton and chipped in with a wicket. An all-round show from Watto!
Dhoni and his men will be really happy tonight. The Chennai bowlers were taken for aplenty in the past few games but tonight, they have come together and delivered in an emphatic manner. Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur did the damage at the start while Shane Watson and Dwayne Bravo chipped in latter. Only Imran Tahir was taken to the cleaners but otherwise it was a clinical show from their bowlers. The fact that Ravindra Jadeja and Karn Sharma weren't required much in the chase, should give a huge boost to the Men in yellow going forward in the tournament.
A thumping win for Chennai tonight! It was Shane Watson's brilliance that set things up for them as the Aussie blazed his way to a ton to pilot his side to 200. When you chase a huge total, the start in the Powerplay is always the key. Rajasthan just couldn't do that, they lost three wickets inside the first six overs that more or less dented the chase. The wickets kept falling at regular intervals as none of the batsmen showed a stomach to fight. Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler did contribute but never it seemed like they were in the hunt. To put it in a better way - they just delayed the inevitable.
K Sharma to Ben Laughlin, OUT! And Karn Sharma wraps things up! We have lost the count of the bowlers who have picked up two in two this season. A leg break, quicker through the air and turning away from a length just a bit. Laughlin hangs back to push it away but gets a faint edge to Dhoni who takes it really well. CHENNAI BEAT RAJASTHAN BY A HUGE MARGIN OF 64 RUNS!
Ben Laughlin is the last man in.
K Sharma to J Unadkat, OUT! Bowled 'em! That's wicket number 50 for Karn Sharma in the Indian T20 League. Sends in a googly, it's on the stumps, Unadkat gets down to unleash another slog but that's too good for him. Goes under his bat and rattles the furniture behind.
K Sharma to J Unadkat, FOUR! Dropped short on middle, Unadkat gets low and pulls it strongly through mid-wicket for a boundary.
R Jadeja to S Gopal, Drops it short and outside off, Gopal cuts it hard but finds the man at backward point.
R Jadeja to S Gopal, Comes down the track but Jaddu sends it slower through the air. Gets an inside edge through backward square leg for a brace.
R Jadeja to J Unadkat, Bowls it with a round-arm action, it comes in with the arm, Unadkat off the back foot punches it through cover for a single.
R Jadeja to S Gopal, Quicker and on middle, worked away towards mid-wicket for a single.
R Jadeja to J Unadkat, Flatter one outside off, the batter looks to cut but gets a bottom edge towards short third man for one.
R Jadeja to S Gopal, Darts it in on off, driven down to long off for a single.
Ravindra Jadeja into the attack now.
K Sharma to J Unadkat, FOUR! Takes the aerial route and gets the desired result! Tossed up outside off, spinning away, Unadkat kneels down and slaps it over extra cover to send it across the fence.
K Sharma to S Gopal, Dragged short, on the stumps, Shreyas with a pull through the mid-wicket area for a run.
K Sharma to J Unadkat, The batsman works it down the leg side. One run added to the total.
K Sharma to S Gopal, Makes use of the feet and flicks it through mid-wicket for one.
K Sharma to J Unadkat, Floats it up around off, Jaydev is down to sweep but gets a top edge on the leg side for a single.
K Sharma to S Gopal, Touch short from Karn, Gopal works it through mid-wicket for a single.
Karn Sharma is into the attack.
S Thakur to J Unadkat, FOUR! Nailed it! Short ball, Unadkat camps back and middles the pull through mid-wicket for a boundary.
S Thakur to J Unadkat, In the channel outside off, a play and a miss from the batsman.
S Thakur to J Unadkat, Defended off the front foot by the batsman presenting the full face of the bat.
Jaydev Unadkat to walk in next.
S Thakur to S Binny, OUT! Phenomenal stuff from Shardul Thakur. He's pumped with that effort. Why wouldn't he be? Stunning. Short of a good length on middle, Binny gets a top edge on the leg side as he looks to pull. Thakur runs to the ball himself, dives to get his right hand under it and then holds on to it as well. A well-deserved wicket.
S Thakur to S Gopal, Outside off on a good length, Gopal waits for the ball to come before running it down to third man for a single.
S Thakur to S Binny, Full delivery attacking the stumps, driven down to long on for a single.
Shardul Thakur is back on.
S Watson to S Gopal, Slower one on a back of a length, dabbed towards short third man for nothing. Excellent from Watto, what a night he is having.
S Watson to S Gopal, Shortish on off, cut hard but finds the man at backward point.
Shreyas Gopal is the new man in.
S Watson to K Gowtham, OUT! Watson contributing with the ball as well! He digs in a slower bumper outside off, Gowtham tries to fetch it but all he manages is a top edge which lobs behind. Dhoni moves to his left and takes an easy catch. Rajasthan are falling like a pack of cards now.
S Watson to S Binny, Angles in a length delivery, heaves away over square leg for a single.
S Watson to S Binny, Back of a length outside off, Binny looks to cut but this one bounces a bit and beats the batter.
S Watson to K Gowtham, Good length delivery outside off, steered through backward point for one.
Shane Watson to bowl his third.
I Tahir to S Binny, Fires it really full on the stumps, Binny drives it square on the off side. Beats the man at point and they take two. So, Tahir went for 44 in 4 overs but will be relieved to take the wicket of Stokes.
Krishnappa Gowtham is the new man in.
I Tahir to Ben Stokes, OUT! Stokes departs! He knew straightaway as soon as he hit that. Tossed up this time, it's the leg break from Tahir. Stokes gets down on one knee to slog sweep it but doesn't connect well. Gets a lot of height but not the distance as Sam Billings positions himself underneath it at deep mid-wicket and takes a smart reverse cup catch over his head.
I Tahir to Ben Stokes, SIX! All power! Wrong one, served wider outside off, Stokes gets down, reaches out to that one and flat-bats it brutally over long off for a maximum.
I Tahir to Ben Stokes, Backs away and punches it to the man at cover.
I Tahir to S Binny, Chips it down the ground towards long off but it goes on the bounce to the fielder there. One run taken.
I Tahir to Ben Stokes, Tossed up outside off, pushed down to long off for a single.