Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings Match Highlights & Results

Right then, that is all we have from this game. The first qualifier is set as Gujarat will take on Rajasthan and with Lucknow also qualified, that leaves one spot open in the playoffs. Bangalore currently hold that spot but on Saturday, the 21st of May, Delhi will take on Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium and that match could prove to be very crucial as a win for Delhi will see them topple Bangalore and qualify for the playoffs. That match starts at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT) but our build-up will begin much sooner. Do join us for all the action. Take care and goodbye!

Ravichandran Ashwin (1/28 & 40* off 23 balls) is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH! Ashwin says that it feels like a million dollars and it is a big night for them to get the job done and get two bites at the cherry. Mentions that prior to the season starting, there was clear communication on what areas he needed to improve upon and management told him that they might use him in the Powerplay with the ball and might even ask him to bat at number 3, which he was ready for. Adds that he knows what his role is with the ball and he tends to force the batters to take risks against him. Mentions that he knows the ebbs and flows of the game and generally he isn't a power-hitter but the management has given him the freedom to express himself. Says that it feels great to qualify for the playoffs and it is a testament to the management as well and wherever he goes, he tries to take the franchise to the knockout games.

Sanju Samson, the captain of Rajasthan says that it feels very good the way they have played throughout the season and almost everyone has stepped up. Tells that Moeen Ali is a quality batter and it was a very good wicket but in the end, it was a great effort from the bowlers to pull things back. Tells that he wanted to bring Obed McCoy after the Powerplay to give him some break and tells that he used his change-ups quite well. Mentions that Chennai had quality bowlers in their team but Ashwin played a great knock and mentions that he worked hard in the nets ahead of the season and that has paid off and he has played a big role as an allrounder for them. Says that he is very happy for Ravichandran Ashwin.

The presentation ceremony...

Obed McCoy says that it was a better performance from him in the game and he had a lot more control. Tells that Malinga has worked with him in the nets and has told him to be consistent. Mentions that with the newer ball it was better for the batters and says that with the old ball it was important for him to bowl good lengths and bowl his variations. States that everyone is very happy with the performance and now it is time to take the momentum forward. Stay tuned for the presentation ceremony...

Chennai skipper, MS Dhoni says that they were playing a batter light and once they lost four wickets Moeen Ali had to change his game. Tells that if they would have gone hard at that time, they probably would have not gotten anything on the board. Says that they were 10-15 runs short but it is still important to start well. Says that the youngsters have learned a lot over this season and credits Mukesh Choudhary for the way he has developed from the start of the season till this last game and now it is important for them to build on this and not start all over again in the next season. Tells that their 'Malinga,' Matheesha Pathirana is very good and will play a big role in the coming season. Says that it is important that whenever one gets an opportunity it is important to grab the opportunity and learn from every game. Says that it is not a one-year tournament and the key is to keep growing and become a good Indian T20 League player for the next 10 years.

Let's head now for a few interviews....

Earlier in the game, Chennai opted to bat first and after losing Gaikwad early, Moeen Ali put on a show as he surpassed fifty in just 19 balls but then Conway got out and the tide just turned. Ravichandran Ashwin and co were able to just get in quiet overs and pick up wickets as well. Yuzvendra Chahal had another top outing and in the end, Chennai were scampering hard just to get to the 150-run mark. It was always going to prove to be a below-par score and even after giving it their all in the field, Chennai weren't able to trump Rajasthan who ended the game clinically and qualify in second place behind Gujarat.

Chennai end a disappointing campaign with yet another loss but they gave a fight tonight. Having put on an under-par score, the bowling needed to fire but after an early wicket, Mukesh Choudhary and Simarjeet Singh both were hit for a few boundaries. Once Mitchell Santner got rid of Samson, the spinners put brakes on the scoring rate and both Moeen Ali and Prashant Solanki picked up wickets as well. Matheesha Pathirana was economical too but with just 6 to defend in the final over, it was a tough ask from the young pacer. It is the end of the road for Chennai but boy, they have found a few solid players for the future.

Rajasthan must have been really pleased at the halfway stage and would have believed that they could win this crucial game but once again Jos Buttler fell early. Then came a fiery counter-punch from Yashasvi Jaiswal that steadied the run chase. Sanju Samson got out after a slow start as well but Jaiswal made sure that the runs kept flowing. Just like Chennai's innings, the batters found it hard to find the fence in the middle overs but the move to send Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of Shimron Hetmyer proved to be the difference. The wickets kept on tumbling but Ashwin kept on finding the fence in the final few overs to take his side home.

Yet another cracker of a game in the Indian T20 League but it is Ravichandran Ashwin's brilliance that has taken Rajasthan to victory here. And with this victory, they have also snatched the all-important second spot off of Lucknow's hands. Rajasthan will now have two bites at making it through to the final just like Gujarat. It is also Rajasthan's first-ever top two finish since the title winning campaign in 2008.

WIDE! Rajasthan seal this game and the number 2 position on the points table! Matheesha Pathirana goes for a wide yorker but the young man ends up bowling it bit too wide and on the wrong side of the tramline outside off. The umpire signals it wide and Rajasthan win by 5 wickets!

Good delivery! A fullish delivery, close to off. Riyan Parag looks to heave it across the line but misses.

A length delivery, around off. Ashwin looks to push it towards the off side. Mistimes it onto the turf and they take a single. Scores are level now! Ashwin is pumped up as he takes that single!

FOUR! Ohh...Ashwin, you beauty! It is yorker, around off. Ashwin makes room and slices it toward deep backward point fence for a boundary. Just 2 needed now!

An appeal for the LBW but Chennai do not take a review! A low full toss around leg. Parag looks to flick it but misses. The ball hits his pads and goes towards the off side. There is an appeal but it is going down leg.

Matheesha Pathirana (3-0-22-0) to bowl the final over. Can he defend 6 runs?

Single to end the over and 7 needed now from the last over! A shorter-length delivery, around off. Parag mistimes his pull towards the right of the bowler. Mukesh Choudhary moves to his right to stop it but only half-stops it and a single is taken towards the mid on region.

A very full delivery, outside off. Ashwin slices it to third man for a single.

A fullish delivery, around off. Ashwin creams it through the extra-cover region and comes back for the second run.

SIX! Ashwin with a killer blow! Mukesh Choudhary lands it in the slot on middle from 'round the wicket. Ashwin goes deep in his crease and launches it over deep mid-wicket for a maximum. 11 needed now from 9 balls!

In the air but safe! Length ball, around the top of off. Riyan Parag goes for the big hit but gets a top edge that goes high and over the vacant point region. Single taken.

A length ball, on off. Ashwin hits it left of mid off and takes a single.

Mukesh Choudhary comes back in to bowl the all important penultimate over.

NOT OUT! Chennai take a review but the replays shows that the ball is pitching outside leg! It is almost a yorker around leg. Ashwin looks to clip it but misses. The ball hits his pads and there is an appeal as the batter run a leg bye. The umpire says no and Dhoni reviews it. However, Ball Tracking confirms that it is pitching outside leg. So a leg bye to end the over and now 19 needed from 12 balls!

Chennai have taken the review for an LBW decision. The third umpire is called in and checks Ultra Edge first which shows that there's no bat involved. Ball Tracking shows that the ball is pitching outside leg and that is all that the umpire needs to make his decision. NOT OUT!

FOUR! Ashwin is playing a gem of an innings here! Poor from Matheesha Pathirana though, there is no fielder in the deep behind square on the off side and he goes shorter outside off. Ashwin cuts it over backward point for a boundary.

Another good delivery! A very full delivery, on off. Parag digs it out towards mid off for a single.

A yorker this time, outside off. Parag looks to get a bat on it but misses.

FOUR! What a good shot under pressure! Slightly shorter on middle. Parag pulls it in the gap towards deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

A full delivery on middle. Parag works it to deep mid-wicket for a couple.

WIDE! Full and down the leg side. Parag looks to clip it but misses.

Matheesha Pathirana (2-0-11-0) is back on.

SIX! This time he connects and hits a big one! 32 needed from 18 balls now! This is on middle. Ashwin gets down on his knee and nails it over deep square leg for a biggie.

Slower in the air and turning away from around off. Ashwin looks to slog-sweep it but misses.

A fuller delivery on off. Parag hits it to long on for a single.

A fuller delivery on off. Parag drives it back to the bowler.

Riyan Parag walks in at number 7 for Rajasthan.

OUT! CAUGHT! Prashant Solanki gets rid of another big fish and this is a big blow to Rajasthan now! Big, big wicket and credit should be given to Prashant Solanki as he tosses this up despite getting hit for a boundary off the last ball. It is on middle and slower in the air. Shimron Hetmyer gets low and looks to slog-sweep it over deep mid-wicket. However, he gets a huge top edge and the ball goes in the air towards deep mid-wicket. Devon Conway comes running in from the deep and takes a fine catch.

FOUR! Shimron Hetmyer starts the over with a boundary! This is a big over in the context of the game! Tossed up on off. Shimron Hetmyer drills it straight down the ground for a boundary.

Pitches it on off and it turns away a bit with bounce. Shimron Hetmyer mistimes his cut shot towards the off side for a single. 43 needed from 24 ball now as Moeen Ali finishes his spell with another tidy over.

Darted on middle and leg. Ashwin works it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Pushed quicker on off. Shimron Hetmyer punches it to long off for a single.

Slightly shorter and around off. Shimron Hetmyer slaps it straight to the cover fielder in the ring.

Slower in the air, on middle. Shimron Hetmyer blocks it off the front foot.

Ali goes flatter on middle. Ashwin works it to mid-wicket for a single.

This is pushed through fuller and quicker on leg stump. Hetmyer just nudges it out on the leg side.

Shimron Hetmyer is the next man in.

OUT! TAKEN! A maiden wicket in the tournament for Prashant Solanki and what a big one this could prove to be. Solanki drags it down again around leg stump and invites Yashasvi Jaiswal to take on the longer boundary. Jaiswal goes after it but goes a bit too hard at it. Jaiswal ends up mistiming it towards the backward square leg fence. Matheesha Pathirana slides in to take a good catch. 47 needed now off 31 balls.

Excellent piece of fielding from Narayan Jagadeesan. Dragged down again and around leg stump. Jaiswal pulls it hard and towards the square leg fence. Jagadeesan sprints to his left from deep mid-wicket and pulls it back in. Two taken.

Fuller and on off, Ashwin strokes it down to long off for a single.

Leg bye! Flatter this time, around leg stump. Jaiswal looks to pull but gets it off the pads towards backward square leg. Just a leg bye then.

SIX! Easily done by Yashasvi Jaiswal. Solanki starts off with a tossed-up delivery on middle. Jaiswal steps down the track and lofts it with the turn, all the way over the long on fence for a biggie.

On middle and leg, swept away hard to the man at the backward square leg fence for a run. 10 runs come off it. 57 needed now off 36 balls.

Quicker one, on off. Ashwin dabs it towards point and sets off for a quick single.

On middle, Ashwin pushes it towards mid on.

A bit slower, on off. Jaiswal eases it through covers for a single and that will be his FIFTY, a well-compiled innings from the young man. Now he will look to stay till the end and get his side over the line.

Dragged down from Ali this time, Ashwin tucks it behind square on the leg side for just a single.

SIX! Some intent right after the break and Ravichandran Ashwin has smoked it. Flighted delivery on middle, Ashwin dances down the track and launches it over the wide long on fence for a huge hit.

DRINKS! Rajasthan have lost the rhythm after the Powerplay with couple of wickets and some tidy overs from Chennai, exactly the same way Chennai lost it post the Powerplay when they were batting. However, the target is still within Rajasthan's grasp and they just need be clever here and take those calculated risks when required. 67 needed now from 42 balls and let's see how things pan out in the final phase of this game.

Around off, Ashwin lofts it over extra cover and picks up a single. It's been ages since the last boundary and the required rate just keeps on rising.

Floated up on leg stump, Ashwin just pushes it back towards the bowler.

Sent back! on the pads, tickled away to short fine leg. Ashwin looks to sneak in a single but Jaiswal sends him back.

Flatter again, angled into middle. Yashasvi Jaiswal backs away and cuts it through covers for one more.

Uppish but safe! This is darted into middle and leg, Ashwin gets a leading edge through covers as he looks to work it leg side. A single taken.

Flatter and quicker, close to the off pole. Jaiswal cuts it hard to deep point for a single.

Mitchell Santner (2-0-11-1) is back on.

A bit slower and on the pads. Jaiswal works it through mid-wicket and collects a run. Just 5 singles and a wicket off it.

A bit flighted, on off. Ashwin leans in and pushes it through mid on for one more.

A tad shorter, angled into middle. Jaiswal rocks back and eases it through cover-point for a run.

Flatter, on middle. Ashwin just knocks it down to long on for a single.

Ravichandran Ashwin walks out to the middle now.

OUT! Cleaned up! Deja vu! Are we really watching a mirror image of the first innings? Nicely drifted into middle stump from Moeen Ali. Devdutt Padikkal with absolutely no intent looks to sweep but is nowhere near the pitch of the ball. The ball dips and goes on to hit the top of middle stump. An uncanny innings from Padikkal comes to an end and Rajasthan lose their third.

On a length, down leg. Jaiswal gets down on one knee and sweeps it to deep backward square leg for one.

A tidy over from Matheesha Pathirana, just the two singles off it. Around off, Padikkal can't get it away.

Unlucky! Full and straight, Padikkal drills it straight a bit too straight though as he shatters the middle stump at the opposite end.

Good short ball from Pathirana, around off and at a good height. Padikkal looks to get it up and over the keeper's head but misses.

Around the top of off, Jaiswal forces the drive towards cover-point and picks up a single. The boundaries have completely dried up at the moment.

Full and off stump, this is driven down to long on for a single.

This is a bit shorter and on the body. Padikkal looks to turn it leg side but gets a leading edge onto the off side.

Flighted delivery that pitched on middle. Hint of turn and Yashasvi Jaiswal gets well forward to block it. 78 needed now from 60 balls!

Tossed up on off. Devdutt Padikkal lunges forward and drives it to long off for a single.

Slower in the air, on off. Devdutt Padikkal drives it to covers.

Darted on middle and leg. Jaiswal works it to deep square leg for a single.

Nice loopy delivery on middle. Jaiswal defends it towards the leg side.

A fuller delivery on middle. Jaiswal sweeps it to short fine leg.

A fuller delivery on off. Jaiswal drives it to long off for a single.

Darted on middle and leg. Jaiswal works it towards deep backward square leg for a couple.

A tossed up delivery, on off. Devdutt Padikkal pushes it towards backward point for a single.

Devdutt Padikkal comes in at number 4.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Mitchell Santner with a sharp catch off his own bowling and Samson departs! This is a fuller delivery on off. Samson goes deep in his crease and smashes it straight back towards the bowler. It is hit with great power. However, Mitchell Santner shows great reflexes and takes a brilliant catch. Can Chennai comeback with couple of quick wickets here?

Pitches on middle and it turns away a bit. Samson looks to work it towards the leg side but gets a leading edge and the ball falls short of Mitchell Santner.

A flatter one on middle. Samson blocks it towards the off side.

DRINKS! Well, Rajasthan are off to a flier here. Just like Chennai, they lost an early wicket and then came the carnage. Yashasvi Jaiswal has taken on the bowling and Sanju Samson has just given him support from the other end. With 84 runs needed off 72 balls, it should be fairly straightforward for Rajasthan. Chennai need wickets and they need them in clusters to get back into the game. Let's see how the middle phase plays out.

On the shorter side, around leg. Samson works it to fine leg for a single.

Half-volley again on off. This time Sanju hits it hard but straight to Santner at covers in the ring. Good stop by the Kiwi!

Overpitched on off. Samson drives it to covers.

The fullish length again and outside off. Jaiswal drives it off the outside half of his blade towards third man for a single.

WIDE! Sprays down the leg side again. This time Dhoni moves swiftly and collects the ball as the batter lets it go.

A fullish delivery on off. Jaiswal drives it to covers.