| Rajasthan Royals 175-8 (20 overs): Buttler 52 (36); Jadeja 2-21 |
| Chennai Super Kings 172-6 (20 overs): Conway 50 (38), Dhoni 32 (17); R Ashwin 2-25 |
| Rajasthan Royals won by three runs |
| Scorecard.; Table |
England’s Jos Buttler struck a half-century as Rajasthan Royals claimed a tense three-run win over Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.
Buttler’s 52 from 36 balls set up Rajasthan’s 175-8, supported by Shimron Hetmyer’s unbeaten 30.
Needing 21 from the final over, Sandeep Sharma bowled two wides before two MS Dhoni sixes set up a last-ball finish.
With five required for a Chennai victory, Dhoni only managed a single and they finished 172-6.
Former India skipper Dhoni, 41, rolled back the years with his innings of 32 from 17 balls, leading a recovery from 113-6 with Ravindra Jadeja, who finished unbeaten on 25 from 15 balls.
Chennai faced a challenging task of scoring 40 from the last 12 balls, but Dhoni and Jadeja were inspired by their home crowd until Sandeep held his nerve to deny them with a perfect yorker.
England white-ball skipper Buttler had earlier struggled to find his usual fluency on a tricky pitch, but hit three sixes in his knock, before he was bowled by international team-mate Moeen Ali, who took 1-21.
Moeen fell for just seven in Chennai’s chase as their middle order stuttered following opener Devon Conway’s 50.
India spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin led Rajasthan’s bowling attack with two wickets each.
England Test captain Ben Stokes missed his second consecutive game for Chennai, although there was no reason given for his absence.
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