CSK vs RR Match Report: Watson ton give CSK first win at new home

CSK vs RR Match 17, IPL 2018

Score summary:

CSK: 204/5; Watson 106, Gopal 3/20

RR: 140; Stokes 45, Chahar 2/30

Match Result: Chennai Super Kings won by 64 runs

Pune – Playing at their new home Pune for the first time, Shane Watson gave CSK fans a spectacle, racking a century – 106 off 57 balls – to help Super Kings secure a comfortable win against Rajasthan Royals.

After being put in to bat, CSK made a flying start, accumulating 69 runs in the powerplay overs and losing only 1 wicket. It was the 81-run partnership between Watson and Raina that laid the platform for the big total for the tourists to chase. Dwayne Bravo chipped in with the quick cameo – 24 off 16 balls – to push the score above 200.

Chasing 205, RR did not get off to the best of starts losing debutant Klaasen early in the chase. The innings never got any momentum with wickets falling at regular intervals and the asking rate getting out of hand.

Stokes and Buttler did offer some resistance but CSK bowlers kept the pressure on the batsmen and in the end, RR fell short by 64 runs. Chahar, Thakur, Bravo and Karn all picked two wickets apiece for the home side.