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The Times of India
The Times of India
Sport
Mandakini Shalya | TNN

IPL 2022, RR vs CSK: Ashwin's all-round show seals top-two finish for Rajasthan Royals

Ashwin's unbeaten 23-ball 40 takes Royals home, ensures top-two finish

Rajasthan Royals entered the game against Chennai Super Kings with clear intent to snatch away the second berth from Lucknow Super Giants. But CSK made it tough from them, almost choking them before Ravichandran Ashwin's experience and calm nerves ensured Royals a five-wicket win at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Friday.

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AS IT HAPPENEDSCORECARDPOINTS TABLE

Chasing 151, Royals began in a chancy fashion and lost Jos Buttler early, but opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (59 off 43 balls) played the perfect anchor before Ashwin struck a fluent, unbeaten 40 off 23 balls to take the team home.

1/10:Rajasthan beat Chennai

<p>Ravichandran Ashwin stole the show from Chennai Super Kings' Moeen Ali with match-winning 23-ball 40 to ensure Rajasthan Royals finish in the top-two after their last IPL league game on Friday. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>

2/10:Ashwin the batsman

<p>Ashwin, promoted in the middle-order, hit two fours and three sixes to hand a five-wicket win to Rajasthan, who were chasing Chennai's 150-6. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>

3/10:Ashwin the bowler

<p>Ashwin also took 1-28 and eclipsed an all-round performance by Moeen Ali who gave a perfect start to his team with 57-ball 93 and 1-21 in his four over spell. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>

4/10:Yuzvendra Chahal

<p>Smart bowling by Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal, who took 2-26 in his four overs, put a brake on Chennai scoring after Moeen Ali's initial blitzkrieg. (BCCI/IPL Photo)</p>

5/10:​Moeen Ali

<p>Moeen Ali, who hit 13 fours and three sixes in his innings, propelled Chennai to 94-3 after the first ten overs. (BCCI/IPL Photo)</p>

6/10:Trent Boult

<p>Ruturaj Gaikwad (2) fell to Trent Boult -- who finished his four overs with 1-44 -- and Ashwin took the scalp of Devon Conway (16). (BCCI/IPL Photo)</p>

7/10:MS ​Dhoni

<p>Dhoni scored a scratchy 28-ball 26 in partnership with Moeen Ali before falling to Chahal but failed to provide the much-needed momentum in the second half of the Chennai innings. (BCCI/IPL Photo)</p>

8/10:Yashasvi Jaiswal

<p>Sanju Samson, 15 off 20, gave support to opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who hit 44-ball 59 with eight fours and a six, after Jos Buttler (2) fell early. (BCCI/IPL Photo)</p>

9/10:Mitchell Santner

<p>Samson fell to Mitchell Santner and was quickly followed by Devdutt Padikkal (3) who fell to Ali's spin. (BCCI/IPL Photo)</p>

10/10:Last over win

<p>Ashwin, supported by Riyan Parag (10), won the match in the last over of the chase. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>
In Pics, IPL 2022 Match 68: Ashwin's show hands Rajasthan top-two finish

Again, it was collective potential and zeal that proved too strong for CSK. Sanju Samson's Royals will now face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on May 24.

Earlier, CSK's Moeen Ali went ballistic in the Powerplay en route a 57-ball 93 laced with 13 fours and three sixes.

CSK scored 75/1 in the Powerplay, of which 55 runs came from Moeen's bat, but they slowed thereafter, kept losing wickets and eventually finished short.

The competent Royals bowling attack worked its way back after being pushed to the wall. Having failed to overcome Moeen's concentration and skill, bowlers instead feasted on other batters' failure to adapt and implement.

Unlike the Englishman, who made most of the wicket on offer, other CSK batters put in only brief appearances, a reminder of how the season has been one of missed opportunities for the men in yellow.

With figures of 4-0-20-2, left-arm seamer Obed McCoy was Royals' stand- out bowler. Yuzvendra Chahal was not far behind with figures of 4-0-26-2 which helped him get back the Purple Cap.

Quite impressively, the Royals bowlers succeeded in putting pressure back on CSK, but Ashwin stole all the attention in the end with bat in hand!

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