Rajasthan Royals' batter Nitish Rana.
Credit: PTI Photo
Guwahati: Nitish Rana’s blistering 81 off 36 balls set the stage for Rajasthan Royals, but Chennai Super Kings pulled things back during the back-10 to limit them to 182 for 9 after opting to bowl first in their IPL clash here on Sunday.
Rana smashed 10 fours and five sixes, giving RR a flying start as they were looking for a 200-plus total.
But his dismissal in the 12th over shifted momentum as CSK tightened their grip, triggering regular breakthroughs.
Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, and Khaleel Ahmed bowled with precision, picking up two wickets each as RR managed just 37 runs in the final five overs and lost four wickets.
Brief Scores: Rajasthan Royals 182/9; 20 overs (Nitish Rana 81, Riyan Parag 37; Noor Ahmad 2/28, Matheesha Pathirana 2/28, Khaleel Ahmed 2/38) vs Chennai Super Kings.