Indian Premier League 2020 Match 4, Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings: As it happened

Skipper Steve Smith's return will come as a huge boost for Rajasthan Royals for their opening clash while MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings would look to carry-on from their win in the tournament opener.

Image credits: Twitter/@IPL

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the match no. 4 of IPL 2020 between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) that is all set to take place later today (September 22) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in UAE.

An emphatic all-round performance powered Rajasthan Royals to a 16-run victory over Chennai Super Kings. The match was the first high-scoring encounter of IPL 2020 with both sides crossing the 200-run mark.

Being put into bat, Rajasthan Royals reached a mammoth total of 216 against the Chennai Super Kings thanks to an absolute blinder from Sanju Samson (74 off 32 balls; 4x1, 6x9). Steve Smith (69 off 47 balls; 4x4, 6x4) acted as the sheet anchor for his side and kept one end steady right from the onset.

Although Chennai mounted a good comeback late into the Royals innings but Jofra Archer (27 off 8 balls, 6x4) hit four consecutive sixes off Lungi Ngidi’s final over to take his side in the drivers seat in this match.

Rajasthan will still miss the services of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes for their opening encounter. While Buttler is still in quarantine, Stokes is currently out due to family reasons.

While the quality and experience within CSK’s ranks is beyond doubt, the Royals still boast of enough firepower to claw out a victory against any side, even without Stokes and Buttler. Recent additions like Robin Uthappa, David Miller and Tom Curran are all proven match winners on their day while the sheer pace of Jofra Archer can bamboozle any batting side.

It all boils down to this, it’s Rajasthan Royals against the Chennai Super Kings.

The match, as it happened:

22 September 2020

23:39 PM IST

A brillant start to the tournament for Rajasthan Royals who can only get better from here with the likely additions of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes in their lineup.

It's all over here in Sharjah as the @rajasthanroyals start their #Dream11IPL campaign on a winning note.

They beat #CSK by 16 runs.#RRvCSK pic.twitter.com/n5msX8djpi

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) September 22, 2020

23:29 PM IST

Rajasthan Royals beat Chennai Super Kings by 16 runs. Dhoni hits three consecutive sixes off Tom Curran but it was always a matter off too little too late. Dhoni will be happy with his good touch, though. CSK- 200/6 (20 Overs)

23:17 PM IST

Wicket!! Faf du Plessis is gone after a brillant 72 off just 37 balls. He hits Archer for a huge six but tries to go for a pull on the next ball but the ball takes the ede and loops up and Samson takes a dolly. They need 38 from 6 balls. CSK - 179/6 (19 Overs)

23:09 PM IST

Du Plessis hits three sixes off Unadkat's 17th over. Very pedestrian bowling from Unadkat here as he bowled very predictable lines there. Du Plessis is timing it beautifully now and brings up his 14th IPL half-century. 58 required from 18 balls. CSK 159-5 (17 Overs)

23:03 PM IST

Faf du Plessis who was looking sloppy earlier has started to get going. He hits two sixes off Rahul Tewatia's final over as CSK pick-up 16 runs from the 15th over. In the next over from Archer, Du Plessis hits another four but Archer makes a strong comeback and still cocedes only 7 from the 16th over. 79 needed from 24 balls. CSK 138-5 (16 Overs) 

22:50 PM IST

Wicket!! Tom Curran accounts for Kedar Jadhav caught behind. Sanju Samson after his blistering innings is still in the game with a great catch. What a day it is for him. Dhoni is the new man in. What can he conjure up here? CSK 115-5 (14 Overs)

22:42 PM IST

Here's a post appreciating the game changing spell from Tewatia:

T  W A T I A #RRvCSK | #HallaBol | #RoyalsFamily | @rahultewatia02 pic.twitter.com/8laWw3S6cJ

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) September 22, 2020

22:38 PM IST

Three consecutive fours!! With the run rate climbing to over 14, Jadhav has no option but to go for it. He plunders Gopal for three boundaries and ruins his final over. CSK need a flurry of boundaries to even come close. CSK 101-4 (12 Overs)

22:26 PM IST

Two quick wickets!! Rahul Tewatia has turned around the game here. Poor batting here from Chennai. Sam Curran hits two consecutive sixes off Tewatia but the leg-spinner anticipates Curran coming down the track and bowls one slightly short and gets him out stumped. Debutant Ruturaj Gaekwad is the next man in and he charges down the track on his very first delivery and gets out in the exact same fashion. Samson now has two stumpings to his name. Tewatia will be on a hat-trick when he starts the new over. Kedar Jadhav is the new man in. CSK 77-4 (9 overs)

22:14 PM IST

Wicket!! Vijay is dismissed. He was caught in two minds and stopped his pull halfway through off Shreyas Gopal to give an easy catch to Tom Curran. Sam Curran is the new man in. CSK 64-2 (8 overs)

22:09 PM IST

Wicket!! Out!! Shane Watson is out bowled to Rahul Tewatia. Just when the partnership was looking good and Watson was especially looking dangerous, he is dismissed when trying to pull Tewatia. Faf du Plessis is the new man in.  CSK 57-1 (7 overs)

21:57 PM IST

A solid start from these two experienced campaigners. At the moment they are not doing anything over the top but are finding the boundaries. They just need to do it much more frequently. They hit 11 runs from Shreyas Gopal's first over.  Let's see what they can conjure up here with Archer steaming in. CSK 36-0 (5 overs)

21:46 PM IST

Good attacking intent from Vijay, He tickles one for four down the leg side off Unadkat and then hits the following delivery straight down the ground for another boundary. They have to up the ante here. CSK 19-0 (3 overs)

21:38 PM IST

Shane Watson and Murali Vijay have come out to open CSK's batting. Jaydev Unadkat will start the bowling attack for Rajasthan. Steady batting in the first over.  Chennai Super Kings 5-0 (1 over)

21:35 PM IST

Innings Break!

Batting fireworks from Samson, a well made 67 from Steve Smith and a beauty of a cameo by Archer, propel @rajasthanroyals to a total of 216/7.

What do you reckon is in store next ?#Dream11IPL #RRvCSK pic.twitter.com/aX0cr1TNco

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) September 22, 2020

21:27 PM IST

Wow! Wow! Sanju samson, Steve Smith and those late fireworks from Jofra Archer help Rajasthan Royals reach a massive 216. They are now firm favorites to win this one now. 

We promised . We delivered 

Now let's bring this home boys!#RRvCSK | #HallaBol | #RoyalsFamily | #Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/VNupP5Fc5C

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) September 22, 2020

21:14 PM IST

Archer swings it big!! Hits four consecutive sixes off Ngidi's final over. He can open the bowling as well as the batting. Such a game changer with both the ball and the bat now. Ngidi bowls two no balls as well to make matters worse. 26 runs off his first two balls. A total off 30 runs coming from that final over. Rajasthan Royals reach a massive 216-7. Rajasthan Royals 216-7 (20 overs).

21:08 PM IST

Wicket!! It's the big one. Steve Smith is caught out first in the deep off Sam Curran. He hasn't played many balls in the past three overs. He's very disappointed with himself. Rajasthan Royals 186-7 (19 overs)

21:02 PM IST

Confusion in the middle. Tom Curran is given out caught behind but he wants to take a review. But there are no reviews left after Tewatia's failed review in the last over. The on-field umpires go up to the third umpire and they check the replays, concluding that the ball just bounced in front of MS Dhoni before he completed the catch. We will see Tom Curran against younger brother Sam Curran after all. Rajasthan Royals 177-6 (18 overs)

20:58 PM IST

WICKET!! Great over from Sam Curran. Riyan Parag is dismissed caught behind after getting a thin edge. Tom Curran is the new man in. It will be a great sight if Tom Curran faces his brother Sam Curran in the latter's next over. Rajasthan Royals 173-6 (17 overs)

20:53 PM IST

Wicket!! Rahul Tewatia is given out Lbw against Sam Curran. He tried to go for a sweep but only managed to hit the ball with his pads. Tewatia goes for a review but it was as plumb as it can get. Riyan Parag is the new man in. Rajasthan Royals 167-5 (16.2 overs)

20:42 PM IST

Wicket!! New man in Robin Uthappa (also making his debut for RR) is dismissed when he picks Faf du Plessis at long-on off Chawla. Beautiful catch from Du Plessis who dived forward to grasp it. Rahul Tewatia is the new man in. Rajasthan Royals 154-4 (15 overs) 

20:37 PM IST

Meanwhile, Smith had also completed his fifty in that Ngidi over. He has played a very mature hand here. Royals would look for a strong finish from him. In Jadeja's next over, he hits a beautiful six over wide long-off which was helped over the line by Sam Curran. Rajasthan Royals 149-3 (14 overs)

(50)* 35 - Let's turn this into 3 figures Smudge!#RRvCSK | #HallaBol | #IPL2020 | #RoyalsFamily | @stevesmith49 pic.twitter.com/ueTl328mM0

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) September 22, 2020

20:33 PM IST

WICKET!! What a over this is turning out to be from Ngidi. On the last ball off the 12th over, David Miller is run-out, without having faced a single-ball. Miller was making his debut for Rajasthan today. What a disappointing feeling it would be for him. Rajasthan Royals 134/2 (12 overs)

20:27 PM IST

Wicket!!  Danger-man Sanju Samson is gone. After their 100-run partnership, Samson goes for another big one on  a wide ball from Ngidi. He has done his job though, scoring a magnificient 74 (off 32 balls). Rajasthan Royals 132-2 (11.4 overs)

20:18 PM IST

Samson also completed his half-century in just 19 balls. He is on fire here. He is hitting tha ball so well. On Chawla's next over he continues where he left off and hits him for two huge sixes. Poor bowling from Chawla. 19 runs off his second over. Rajasthan Royals 119-1 (10 overs)

IN 19 BALLS!!!!! #RRvCSK | #HallaBol | #RoyalsFamily | @IamSanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/KU1qkV6Bir

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) September 22, 2020

20:14 PM IST

28 off the Piyush Chawla over!! Sanju Samson is single-handedly taking the game away. He hits three sixes off Chawla's over. Chawla makes matters worse by bowling a no-ball. Steve Smith pays his gratitude with another six. 4 sixes off that over.  Rajasthan Royals 96-1 (8 overs)

20:04 PM IST

Consecutive SIXES!! WoW! Sanju Samson you beauty. He is hitting the ball beautifully. Dhoni brings Ravindra Jadeja into the attack but Samson opens-up his front leg and hits two huge maximums. One over long-on and another one over long-off. Rajasthan Royals 68-1 (7 overs)

20:00 PM IST

Sanju Samson is on fire here. He looks in tremendous touch here. He takes Sam Curran on and hits a four and six off him in succesive balls. 14 runs from the 5th over. Good stuff from Rajasthan here. Smith is well-set now but is not taking any unnecessary risk. Rajasthan Royals 40-1 (5 overs)

19:45 PM IST

Sanju Samson is the new man in for the Royals. This Sharjah wicket seems pretty slow in comparison to the other two grounds. The ball is not coming on to the bat but Steven Smith hits a pull for four off Chahar. Rajasthan Royals 17-1 (3 overs)

19:42 PM IST

Wicket!! Just after hitting his first four in the IPL, Jaiswal goes for a pull off Deepak Chahar and loops it straight-up. Chahar completes the caught and bowled dismissal. Rajasthan Royals 11-1 (2.2 overs)

19:34 PM IST

It's very interesting to see Steve Smith to open the innings. Will be a nice combination of fresh blood and experience. 18-year-old left-hander Jaiswal takes strike. The duo plays it safe in the first over. Rajasthan Royals 4-0 (1 over)

19:32 PM IST

Youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal and Steve Smith will open the Royals' innings. Deepak Chahar will start the proceedings for Chennai. Rajasthan Royals 0-0 (0 overs)

19:16 PM IST

Ruturaj Gaikwad comes in place of Ambati Rayudu. He is all-set to make his debut. He is a right-hand batsman

19:15 PM IST

Here's Dhoni winning the toss and opting to bowl first: 

#CSK win the toss in Sharjah. Elect to bowl first against @rajasthanroyals. #Dream11IPL #RRvCSK pic.twitter.com/A0HLCTu5rO

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) September 22, 2020

19:09 PM IST

CSK XI: Shane Watson, M Vijay, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (C), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Piyush Chawla, Deepak Chahar, Lungi Ngidi

RR XI: Robin Uthappa, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Steven Smith (C), David Miller, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Tom Curran, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat

19:06 PM IST

Here is the Royals' lineup: 

First of many, for many! 

Views on our Playing XI? #RRvCSK | #HallaBol | #Dream11IPL | #IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/u6EbP5jgp1

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) September 22, 2020

19:04 PM IST

Chennai Super Kings have won the toss and opted to bowl first against Rajasthan Royals. 

MS Dhoni has also said that their last match's MoM Ambati Rayudu is not playing as he was not 100%. That will be a huge blow for them