Brabourne Stadium Last IPL Match

In a crucial game that would determine the fate of both teams in the Indian Premier League, Rajasthan Royals emerged victorious over Chennai Super Kings by five wickets, thanks to a spectacular all-round performance from R Ashwin. Playing against his hometown team, Ashwin delivered with both bat and ball to secure a top-two finish for the Royals. Here’s Brabourne Stadium Last IPL Match scorecard details and report.

Brabourne Stadium Last IPL Match

Batting first, Super Kings got off to a great start with Moeen Ali leading the charge. He smashed 93 off just 57 balls, taking the Royals bowlers to the cleaners with his powerful hitting. He took on the hard lengths of Prasidh Krishna and Ashwin’s away turn with equal ease, and hit six boundaries in Trent Boult’s last over to bring up his fifty off just 19 balls – the second-fastest in Super Kings’ history.

But Super Kings’ momentum slowed down drastically after Moeen’s dismissal, as none of the other batters could get going on the slow pitch. The Royals bowlers made excellent use of the conditions, and Ashwin, in particular, was brilliant in his four overs, conceding just 28 runs and taking a wicket. Obed McCoy used his variations to good effect, and Yuzvendra Chahal bowled a tight spell to put the brakes on Super Kings’ scoring.

MS Dhoni, who had earlier announced that he would play at least one more season for Super Kings, was dropped twice but he struggled to find his timing on the sluggish surface. At one point, the team went 45 balls without a boundary, and it was only Dhoni’s four off Chahal in the 15th over that broke the drought. Super Kings could only double their powerplay score of 75, finishing with a total of 150 for 6.

In response, Royals got off to a flying start, scoring 47 runs in the first five overs, with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal playing a fluent knock of 59 off 42 balls. However, the team struggled in the middle overs as the Super Kings bowlers tightened the screws. Jaiswal and Sanju Samson fell in quick succession, and it looked like the game was slipping away from the Royals.

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But R Ashwin, promoted to No. 5, had other ideas. He took on the Super Kings bowlers with his aggressive strokeplay, hitting three sixes in his unbeaten 40 off 23 balls. He found an able partner in Riyan Parag, who played a crucial cameo of 15 off 11 balls, and the duo added 36 runs in just 20 balls to take the Royals to victory with one over to spare.

The win was crucial for the Royals, as it helped them secure a top-two finish and a place in the Qualifier 1. For Super Kings, it was a disappointing end to the season, as they finished in seventh place and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in their history.

Overall, it was a game that showcased the importance of adapting to the conditions and playing smart cricket. While Moeen’s fireworks provided the early spark for Super Kings, the Royals’ bowlers did well to restrict the scoring and Ashwin’s cameo with the bat proved to be the difference in the end. It was a fitting end to the league phase of the IPL, with the stage now set for an exciting playoff phase.

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