IPL 8: Chennai Super Kings v/s Rajasthan Royals: Watson, Rahane help Royals win easily

Comprehensive victory for Rajasthan. The opening partnership really sealed the game for the Royals. Watson was at his attacking best and Rahane was fluent. CSK will rue the slow innings of captain Dhoni. What an irony.

Over 19

Slower ball on off, Karun places it softly through square on the on side, and Rajasthan have won by 8 wickets. 157/2 in 18.2 overs.

Karun Nair comes in.

OUT! Slower ball from Bravo, swings in at the last moment, and Smith plays it meekly back to the bowler for a caught and bowled. The win will have to wait.

Over 18

Steve Smith swivel pulls a slower rib-high ball on middle and off, but cannot beat short fine leg. Just one more run needed. RR 156/1 after 18.

Short, sits up but Rahane can't get the pull right. Just a single.

This performance will hurt #CSK badly,their run rate will take a beating!Time to regroup and rethink their combo #PepsiIPL #RRvsCSK #eit20 — Abhishek Barthur (@imabhi27) April 19, 2015

Short and angling in, Smith guides the ball to third man for one. 5 needed.

Rahane runs a quick single, Bravo's throw at the non-striker's end finds no stumps.

Over 17

Rahane defends out the rest of the over. RR 147/1 after 17 overs.

Captain Steve Smith is the new batsman.

OUT. Bowled. Watson is deceived in the flight and turn by Jadeja and is bowled for a superb 73. Too late though.

Over 16

Slower ball outside off, played to third man for one by Watson. RR 144/0 after 16 overs. 

Pulled into the on side for a single. Last ball before the timeout.

Yorker, Rahane plays it to deep midwicket for two.

Slower ball, Watson gets pulled into the big shot, and looks despondent as he hits it. However, the ball lands between two fielders on the on side.

Over 15

Flicked into the on side for one. CSK might as well forfeit this match, their bowling has been so toothless. RR 138/0 after 15.

Dhoni please give the ball to either Jadeja or Bravo and finish the match as soon as possible #RRvsCSK — aalap patel (@aalappatel2) April 19, 2015

Crashed into the off side with power, cut off at sweeper cover.

FOUR. Full toss swinging in on middle, Watson whacks it hard down the ground for four.

Two runs off the first ball. 27 more needed off 35 balls.

Over 14

Single off the last ball, RR 128/0 after 14 overs.

FOUR. He comes over the wicket and bowls short. It's on the hips and Rahane pulls to deep square leg for four.

CSK is short of 30 runs from Dhoni #RRvsCSK — kavin (@kavin_uk) April 19, 2015

SIX! Bravo is getting killed by Rajasthan. Full ball on middle is sent over cow corner for six by Rahane.

Over 12

FOUR. Slower length ball, Watson swings hard, trying to hit the ball into orbit over the on side. He gets an edge which flies over short third man for four. RR 110/0 after 12 overs.

FOUR. He tries the shot again. The ball is shorter and flies off the bat into the gap between short third man and the keeper. Four runs.

SIX! Fifty for Shane Watson. Bravo around the wicket, bowls full on off stump. Watson clears his front foot and thrashes the ball over wide long on for six. Flat.

Dwayne Bravo is the new bowler.

Over 11

6 off the over, RR 94/0.

No extras in #Csk account in #RRvsCSK match. Well bowling unit! Nice batting by #Watson & #Rahane. — Dhivakar (@dhivakarrs) April 19, 2015

Driven through the covers, five off five balls so far in the over.

Length outside off and Watson plays a classic Aussie slog, but the ball goes to long on.

Over 10

Rahane turns it to sweeper cover for two. RR 88/0 after 10.

SIX! Slower ball just outside off, but sits up. Watson slogs it over the deep midwicket boundary.

FOUR. Chennai are bowling short on off and getting punished, this time it is Rahane the punisher, and Ashwin the victim.

Over 9

FOUR. No chance for anyone. Wide full ball, Watson opens his stance, rocks back and slams the ball through point for four. CSK 75/0 after 9 overs.

Now he goes over covers, or intended to. Slices it over point for a single.

Watta shot by Watto..back to back maximums #RRvsCSK — Huzefa F (@HuzefaF1) April 19, 2015

Better length, Watson stays back and defends to the on side.

Full ball this time, Watson has it even easier. Free swing of the arms and the ball went 20 rows back over long off.

SIX! Watson slams Jadeja over long off for a mighty six.

Over 8

Six singles off the over, RR 57/0.

Turns in, Watson sweeps hard but finds deep square leg.

Fans enjoying #RRvsCSK game at #IPL Fan Park in Dehradun #RR #CSK rajasthanroyals ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/aUHXGbF7zP — IndianPremierLeague (@iplscoreupdate) April 19, 2015

Three singles off the first three balls of the over.

R Ashwin to bowl.

Over 7

Jadeja concedes just 4 runs off the 7th over. RR 51/0 after 7.

Over 5

FOUR. On middle and leg, and driven through the on side. Bravo fumbles resulting in a boundary. RR 42/0 after 5.

Another slower ball, Watson drives, it goes in the air and just drops short of a diving mid off.

Dabbed into the off side and RR run a quick single.

Rahane chips the ball in the air. It was slower than he though, on a shortish length on off. He flicked it too early, then almost checked his shot. The ball just cleared mid on for two.

Ashish Nehra continues.

Over 4

Now Watson drives through covers and it is cut off on the boundary. 32/0 after 4.

FOUR. Edged, and four from Watson's bat. Good ball from the bowler, but there was no slip at all. In the 4th over.  

SIX! Short and angling outside off from Mohit Sharma. Rahane pulls him authoritatively for six.

Over 3

No run off the last ball, RR 19/0 after 3 overs.

FOUR. Perfect cover drive from Watson, he timed the ball well. It was not a bad delivery, just good length on off.\

For RR their are only 2 players who has scored centurys in IPL (at present) both are in the middle (Watson & Rahane) #RRvsCSK @SeerviBharath — Dilip Singh (@Statsdilip) April 19, 2015

FOUR. Rahane hits Ishwar Pandey straight over his head for four.

Over 2

Watson hits to cover for no run. RR 8/0 after 2 overs.

FOUR. Rahane drives Ashish Nehra down the ground for four. Good timing.

Over 1

One run off the first over, RR 1/0.

Single off the fifth ball to mid on. It was miscued by Rahane.

No runs off 4 balls so far. 

Ajinkya Rahane and Shane Watson are the openers for RR.

CSK have finished at 156/4, which they would consider under-par. Rajasthan Royals never let Chennai get away. They shuffled the bowlers well and then stifled Dhoni after he came in, right until the end. If not for Bravo's 62 off 36, the total would have looked a lot worse.

Over 20

No run. Fast full toss a little wide outside off, Dhoni swings at it but misses. Good last over as well. Dhoni finishes on 31 off 37 balls. CSK on 156/4.

Hit into the leg side this time but Dhoni can get just two to deep midwicket.

Full and fast outside off, a little wide and Dhoni lets it go. Looks at the umpire. The ball was inside the white line, by some distance. Oh god.

Bravo misses a slog and they run a quick single.

Swing and miss. Bravo gives room to carve the ball over the off side but misses. Ball whooshes past the off stump, just.

FOUR. Good yorker from Chris Morris, he followed Bravo as the batsman gave room. But the wily Bravo flicks the ball fine of short third man for four! That was a great shot. Really.

Over 19

Dhoni misses a wide yorker outside off stump. CSK 149/4 after 19 overs.

Dhoni again slogs into the on side for one.

Faulkner misses a run out. Bravo moves to the off side, tries to flick it but misses. Faulkner picks up the ball and throws at the bowler's end as they attempt a quick singles. Bravo would have been out by miles if the ball had hit.

The west Indians continue to turn it on in the IPL. Just the partnership #CSK needed. Can MS now put the '!'? #Bravoni #RRvsCSK — Cricket Fantasy (@Cricket_Fantasy) April 19, 2015

Wide low full toss outside off and Bravo scoops it over cover for two.

Over 18

Low full toss gets flicked away into the on side. CSK 139/4 after 18 overs. Bravo makes 50 in 29 balls.

SIX! Half tracker. Ball sits up slightly full on off stump and Bravo pulls for six. It lands on the roof of the stands behind deep midwicket.

FOUR. Brilliant placement by Bravo. The field on the off side is crowded squarer - there is no cover, extra cover or mid on. The other off side fielder is at wide long off. Bravo manipulates a straight ball through the covers and finds the fence.

Dhoni waltzes down the track to a full ball, but ends up hitting it straight to long on.

FOUR. Bravo drives Tambe hard through extra cover and again finds the boundary. 

Over 16

FOUR. Dhoni finds the square boundary on the off side with a late cut. CSK 113/4 after 16 overs.

Bravo almost gets yorked and plays the ball to long off by clearing his front foot. 

Dhoni slogs a full, hit-me ball to long on for one, moving on to 19 off 26.

Morris comes back and Bravo inside edges him to the on side for one.

Watson should stop acting like in charge and hand it over to Smith #RRvsCSK — Polite Enquiries (@imsgb) April 19, 2015

Over 15

Slower ball wide outside off, no run. CSK 106/4 after 15.

FOUR. Finally Dhoni gets a boundary. Loose ball wide outside off and Dhoni just places it past point for four.

Bravo lifts the ball to long off for one.

Outside off and Dhoni drives to sweeper cover for one.

#RRvsCSK @ChennaiIPL Bravo is in good nick. We have a good score, need to achieve more than 170. — R@v! (@ravigalaxy) April 19, 2015

James Faulkner (1/11) is back.

Over 14

FOUR. This time the ball is wider and Bravo hits right through extra cover. Rahane has no chance this time. 100/4 after 14 overs.

Dhoni slogs hard but still cannot find the boundary, just a single.

Great fielding by Rahane at wide long off. Bravo had hit the ball hard and it looked to be racing to the deep extra cover fence. Rahane put in a splendid dive after a long run to stop the ball thundering into the fence.

One run off two balls from Deepak Hooda's over so far.

Over 13

Two dot balls to end the over. CSK 89/4 after 13.

Biffed to sweeper cover for a single by Bravo.

Dhoni will be disappointed with his teams batting,everybody threw their wicket today #CSK #RRvsCSK — Prayag Premnath (@cobra9x) April 19, 2015

Down the track and Dhoni miscues a slog to the on side for just a single.

Tambe comes back. Rajasthan keep changing bowlers. 

Over 12

FOUR. Oh dear. Good length on off and Bravo drives well through point. But the point fielder made a mess of it and the ball went for four. CSK 85/4 after 12 overs.

FOUR. This time Bravo finds the gap, the ball was on the hips again and tucked into the gap between deep square leg and fine leg.

Short ball, Bravo thinks of ducking under it, but decides he doesn't need to.

Watson bowls, Dhoni plays it to the on side for one.

Over 10

CSK are 68/4 after 10 overs.

OUT! Length ball, and Smith just drags it onto the stumps. He was trying to hit it over cow corner for six.

There goes Dwayne"IPL"Smith for 40. He looks shocked. Not for getting out but for the fact that he scored 40+ consecutively. #ipl #RRvsCSK — Wicket Don (@wicketdon) April 19, 2015

Over 9

Single to short fine leg. CSK 65/3 after 9 overs.

FOUR. Now Sharma strays on the hips and Smith nudges him to fine leg for four.

SIX! Poor ball, right in the slot for Smith's scoop straight down the ground.

Speared into middle and leg, Smith slogs it over the on side but long leg running in cuts it off. Two runs.

RR's spinner-heavy attack continues to keep Chennai down to ones, with the occasional boundary.

Over 8

Yorker on leg stump and Bravo turns it to the on side for one. CSK 49/3 after 8 overs.

FOUR. Short from Tambe, spins on top of middle and gets hoicked to wide long on for four.

Thankyouuu Moris for that spectacular catch!!! That happiness on Dravid's face was priceless #RRvsCSK — Kanika♥ (@kanika0506) April 19, 2015

Slo mo for CSK now, ball goes out to deep midwicket for a single.

Over 7

Dwayne Bravo is the new batsman. 40/3 after 7 overs.

OUT! Faf du Plessis is gone, he comes down the track and hits the ball straight to long off. CSK in strife, 39/3.

Over 6

Flick-pulled through the on side for two. CSK 39/2 after 6 overs.

Raina and short ball. Still a better love story than Twilight. #RRvsCSK — Sir Lazy (@iLazyLad) April 19, 2015

OUT! Raina is caught behind. He goes for the cut shot to a ball just outside off, but plays a little under it. Faint edge is taken by the keeper.

Three runs for Raina through the off side. Good save on the boundary, and then a relay throw,

Chris Morris comes back. 

Over 5

Driven down the ground and CSK get two as the fielder at long off is quick. 36/1 after 5 overs.

SIX! Short, sits up for Smith and pulled for six over long leg.

Faulkner bowls short on off to Smith, who plays an ugly pull to the on side for no run.

Over 4

On leg again, deliberate negative line, swept to the on side, mistimed for one. CSK 28/1 after 4 overs.

Full toss and middle and leg, put away for a single.

FOUR. Down leg, paddle swept for four.

FOUR. The ball was on leg stump and pulled away for four by Smith.

Deepak Hooda is the bowler.

Over 3

Yorker, Raina plays it back to Tambe. CSK 17/1 after 2 overs.

Suresh Raina is the new batsman. He gets a single to wide long on.

Wah wicket McCallum #RRvsCSK — Deepshikha (@Tweepshikha) April 19, 2015

OUT. Drops it short, and McCullum pulls it straight to mid on. Didn't get the timing right, big wicket.

FOUR. Smashed back for four, the ball went through Pravin Tambe's hands. McCullum 12 off 6. 

Over 2

Swing and a miss. Smith came down the track and played a cross batted shot which met air. CSK 11/0 after 2 overs.

Two runs. Smith pulls Chris Morris for two behind square.

Over 1

Fifth ball. A wide ball and Kiwi captain hits it past cover for a boundary. CSK 9-0 

Third ball, Sharma strays down to the pads and McCullum punishes him. First four.  

Ankit Sharma is bowling the first over, clearly an effort to neutralise assault of CSK openers. 

First ball, Smith dabs it down to long leg for a single.

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Welcome to the live coverage of the match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. The match is being played at Ahmedabad. 

Both teams are in great form, and we are all set for an epic Sunday clash. CSK have won the toss and elected to bat first. CSK have decided to field an unchanged 11. 

Rajasthan have made couple of changes in their side. All rounder Watson is in place of Southee and Ankit Sharma replaces Dhawal Kulkarni. 

The pitch is predicted to be a batting beauty and CSK will try to bat out their opponents in the first innings. 

Read Match preview : IPL 8: RR take on CSK in battle of supremacy

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