Rajasthan Royals Triumph Over Chennai Super Kings in IPL Finale

In an exciting conclusion to the IPL season, the Rajasthan Royals triumphed over the Chennai Super Kings with a six-wicket victory. Young opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi shone brightly, scoring a half-century and leading his team to success. Despite a few hiccups during the chase, the Royals managed to secure the win, thanks to contributions from other players. This match highlighted the potential of young talents in the league, with Dhoni offering valuable advice to the next generation. Read on for a detailed recap of the match and standout performances.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 21, 2025, 06:12 IST

Rajasthan Royals Secure Victory Against Chennai Super Kings

In their final match of the IPL season, the Rajasthan Royals clinched a six-wicket victory against the Chennai Super Kings at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in New Delhi. The spotlight was on 14-year-old opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who showcased his talent with a composed half-century.

Suryavanshi scored 57 runs off 33 balls, marking his second half-century in just six matches of his debut season. Previously, he had made headlines with a stunning 101 off 38 balls against the Gujarat Titans and a quick 40 off 15 balls against the Punjab Kings. In this match, he took a more measured approach while his opening partner, Yashasvi Jaiswal, aggressively attacked the bowlers, scoring 36 runs off 19 balls.

Once settled, Suryavanshi found his rhythm, hitting four sixes and as many fours. He formed a crucial 98-run partnership for the second wicket with captain Sanju Samson, who contributed 41 runs off 31 balls.

Suryavanshi launched two sixes off Ravindra Jadeja and completed his half-century with another six off Noor Ahmad. With the target of 188 runs, the Royals made the chase look easy, with the other batsmen finishing the job.

The Royals faced a brief moment of concern as they slipped from 135/2 to 158/4. Having lost several matches from winning positions this season, they felt the pressure, but Dhruv Jurel (31 off 12 balls) and Shimron Hetmyer (12 off 5 balls) ensured a victorious end to the season.

Earlier, CSK had a rocky start, finding themselves at 12/2 as Yudhvir Singh took both early wickets. However, young Ayush Mhatre stepped up with a quickfire 43 runs off 20 balls, helping CSK recover.

Following Mhatre's dismissal, Ravichandran Ashwin (13) and Jadeja (1) fell quickly. Dewald Brevis (42 off 25) and Shivam Dube (39 off 32) played vital roles in rebuilding the innings. Skipper MS Dhoni managed only 16 runs off 17 balls, missing the chance for a late flourish. Nevertheless, Dhoni became the fourth Indian player to hit 350 sixes in T20 cricket, joining the ranks of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar Yadav. Chris Gayle holds the overall record with 1,056 sixes.

Pacers Yudhvir (3/47) and Akash Madhwal (3/29) were instrumental, taking six wickets between them.

With many young talents shining this season, Dhoni encouraged them to focus on consistency. He stated, "They need to aim for consistency, but achieving a 200-plus strike rate makes it challenging... they possess the ability to hit sixes at any moment."

"Avoid pressure when expectations rise... learn from experienced players and coaching staff... it's about understanding the game... this is my advice to all the youngsters who have performed well," he added.