RR vs CSK – Match 11 Summary of IPL 2025: The Rajasthan Royals and the Chennai Super Kings met on March 30, 2025, at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati for their 11th game of the IPL season. It was Chargers vs Riyaltes match. Royals brought them their first defeat of the season by just 6 runs. Royals players put in a great performance, but none were as astounding as these as these were the edge-of-the-seat plays and figures of the game.
RR vs CSK 11th Match Overview
- Date: March 30, 2025
- Venue: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
- Teams: Rajasthan Royals (RR) vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
- Toss: Chennai Super Kings won the toss and opted to bowl first.
- Player of the Match: Wanindu Hasaranga (RR) for his 4/35 bowling figures.
- First Innings: Rajasthan Royals Post 182/9
Result: Rajasthan Royals win by 6 runs.
Riyan Parag Good Leads Royals Against CSK
The Royals were led by stand-in captain Riyan Parag who took over the side against CSKs skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad. Under his CSK Gaikwad invited the Royals to bat first. The start was shaky with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal going in the first over for 4 runs to Khaleel Ahmed. However, a breathtaking counter-attack from Nitish Rana turned the game around for the Royals.
Transformative innings of Nitish Super Rana
Rana went savage and scored 81 runs off a mere 36 balls including 10 boundaries and 5 sixes. His showing singlehandledly changed the face of the match as even the batting lineup of CSK would struggle against him especially at the latter stages in the power and middle overs. Along with Sanju Samson who scored 20 off 17, they stitched a partnership which helped bolster RR. 82 runs were scored with the second wicket fell RR.
The first part of the match was relatively easy and smooth for CSK till they got off to a strong start with bowlers restricting RR to score of 182 at the end of the first inning, Throughout the match, RR had the upper hand in all situations, dominating the scorecard with Nitish Rana leading with his 81 runs, followed by Sanju Samson with 20 and Riyan Parag contributing at the end with 37 runs.
I have witnessed matches that become interesting only in the last one or two overs remaining but in this case RR and CSK were close to each other in runs after 18 overs. In this case CSK struggled deeply at the mid-order mark at RR powered through.
As it approaches its conclusion both teams were tight lipped about their strategies, though MS Dhoni and Parag seemed relaxed and nonchalant about the answer, I do believe they were players playing out strong. Overall the match was in the hands of RR, still RR made careless mistakes that could have been very fingernail chewy if you would.
Strikes First: Jofra Archer improved the CSK team with a wicket maiden first over when he dismissed Rachin Ravindra for a duck. This resulted in CSK sitting at 23/2. Wanindu Hasaranga also came in and immediately took charge, removing Rahul Tripathi and Shivam Dube for 23 and 6 respectively.
Ruturaj Gaikwad: CSK were given a fighting chance due to an anchoring innings of 63 off 44 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes from Ruturaj Gaikwad. However, CSK’s middle order was uncharacteristically quiet. Hasaranga’s harsh spell with the ball made drastic impacts as when at 4/35 he dismissed Gaikwad in the 16th over turning the game in RR’s favor.
Last minutes of Dhoni – RR vs CSK
Dhoni was needed at 7. Coming off the bench, he quickly got the crowd on his side with 16 runs off 11 balls with two of those scoring coming in the 19th off Tushar Deshpande’s overs. Dhoni faced Sandeep Sharma next with the CSK needing 20 off the last over. He tried making an impact after hitting a low full-toss first ball towards Shimron Hetmyer’s direction but ended up getting caught. Jadeja and Overton did what they could but couldn’t close the gap.
Hasaranga’s superb four-wicket haul alongside Archer’s early breakthrough and Sandeep Sharma’s control in the final over (even after giving away a six and two twos) aided RR seal the victory. Sandeep’s ability to change pace and mix yorkers under pressure was the difference maker in the match.
CSK Scorecard (Outstanding Players)
- Ruturaj Gaikwad: 63 (44)
- Ravindra Jadeja: 32* (22)
- MS Dhoni: 16 (11)
- Rahul Tripathi: 23 (18)
- Others: 7
Grand Total: 176/6 in 20 overs
Key Highlights of RR vs CSK match
Nominal Damage By Nitish Rana: Towards the end, Rana did some serious work scoring 81 off 36 which slapped a desired goal of scoring after an initial wicket fell.
Mid Over Spell By Hasaranga: Hasaranga’s Sri Lankan spinner teammate helped stop the chase by taking quadrants washing away CSK hopes.
Exiting of Dhoni: Hetmyer catches Dhoni off Sandeep’s Sharma delivery in the last over, finishing off the CSK hopes with a bang.
Final Phase By Sandeep: His master class skill showed during his last over by taking a rather easy 13 runs, alongside the crucial wicket that placed a stamp on XaM vision
After RR vs CSK Match Comments / Statments
Riyan Parag (RR Captain): “It took a while for this to happen to us, just two games, but it felt very long. We still think we were 20 short, but our bowlers did the job. Fielding compensates for the runs we are short of, and today it worked out.”
Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK Captain): “We were one big shot away from getting over the line. Nitish batted well in the powerplay, but we didn’t take the initiative. RR has excellent bowlers, especially Hasaranga and Sandeep at the death.”
Wanindu Hasaranga (Player of the Match): “Even when I got hit for sixes, I kept finding a way back to the game. The plan was to throw my best balls, and it ended up working.”
Consequences on Standings of IPL 2025 Points Table
Rajasthan Royals: This victory was the first points of the season for RR after two losses, allowing them to climb off the bottom of the table. Their net run rate is now – 1.013.
Chennai Super Kings: CSK registered their second defeat in a row and moved down to 7th position with 2 points from 3 games and a net run rate of – 1.013.
RR vs CSK 11th Match Analysis
Player of the Match: Wanindu Hasaranga (RR) for his 4/35 bowling figures.
RR’s victory was a classic example of bouncing back from an abysmal beginning to the season. Notable performances came from Nitish Rana on the bat, Hasaranga with the ball, and impressive catches from Hetmyer and Parag. For CSK, the puzzle concerning the batting order and Dhoni coming in at number 7 was puzzling. It was nice to see Gaikwad in form, but the damage from the middle order’s inability to score was too great.
The match showcased the importance of swift adaptability and exceptional performances in clutch moments in T20 cricket. RR’s bowlers were calm and collected in the last few overs, but we were unable to find the additional effort required in the last few overs to secure the victory.
Looking Ahead after RR vs CSK 11th Match
RR: RR’s campaign now has a reasonable foundation, and as such, they will be hoping to build positive momentum with their next match against PBKS in Chandigarh on the 5th of April.
CSK: The Super Kings need to address a few problem areas as they match up with the Delhi Capitals on the 5th of April in Chennai, particularly concerning their batting performance.
This match will be tipped s the greatest IPL thriller and one RR vs CSK matches showcasing the ‘anything can happen’ aspect of the tournament. Fans will be hoping to observe more of such matches where every ‘ball’ counts as the time passes on IPL 2025!
