Rajasthan Royals opened their account in IPL 2025 with a thrilling 6-run win over Chennai Super Kings, thanks to Nitish Rana’s blazing 81 and Wanindu Hasaranga’s four-wicket haul. CSK suffer second straight loss.
March 31, 2025: Rajasthan Royals (RR) finally got their IPL 2025 campaign on track, defeating Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 6 runs in a high-intensity match at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday. Powered by Nitish Rana’s explosive 81 off 36 balls and Wanindu Hasaranga’s impactful 4/33, RR defended a total of 182/9 to register their first win of the season.
Also Read: Hasaranga’s ‘Pushpa’ Celebration Steals the Show as Royals Clinch First Win
Updated IPL 2025 Points Table: With this win, RR move off the bottom of the table, while CSK drop to 9th place with their second loss in three matches. RCB continues to top the table with two wins from two games.
🏏 Match Summary:
Batting first, RR lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early, but Nitish Rana took control with an aggressive innings laced with 10 fours and 5 sixes. He stitched an 82-run stand with captain Sanju Samson (20) before perishing to MS Dhoni’s smart glovework off Ravichandran Ashwin.
Despite a late collapse, Riyan Parag (37) and Shimron Hetmyer (19) helped RR post a competitive 182.
CSK’s chase was anchored by captain Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 63 off 44, but the rest of the lineup struggled to keep pace. Shivam Dube (18), Jadeja (32*), and MS Dhoni (16) tried to revive the innings, but Sandeep Sharma’s final over brilliance sealed the win for RR.
Hasaranga was the star with the ball, claiming key wickets including Gaikwad and Dube, while Jofra Archer’s opening spell (1 maiden, 1 wicket) set the tone early.
🥇 Orange Cap (Top Run-Scorer):
- Ruturaj Gaikwad continues to top the run charts with 173 runs in 3 matches.
🎯 Purple Cap (Top Wicket-Taker):
- Wanindu Hasaranga joins the top five with 5 wickets from 2 games.
- Matheesha Pathirana and Noor Ahmad lead the pack with consistent spells for CSK.
📊 IPL 2025 Updated Points Table (After RR vs CSK on March 30):
| Rank | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | NRR | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 2 | 2 | 0 | +2.266 | 4 |
| 2 | Delhi Capitals | 2 | 2 | 0 | +1.320 | 4 |
| 3 | Lucknow Super Giants | 2 | 1 | 1 | +0.963 | 2 |
| 4 | Gujarat Titans | 2 | 1 | 1 | +0.625 | 2 |
| 5 | Punjab Kings | 1 | 1 | 0 | +0.550 | 2 |
| 6 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 2 | 1 | 1 | -0.308 | 2 |
| 7 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 3 | 1 | 2 | -0.871 | 2 |
| 8 | Rajasthan Royals | 3 | 1 | 2 | -1.282 | 2 |
| 9 | Chennai Super Kings | 3 | 1 | 2 | -1.423 | 2 |
| 10 | Mumbai Indians | 2 | 0 | 2 | -1.163 | 0 |
🏷️ Tags:
IPL 2025, IPL Points Table, Rajasthan Royals vs CSK, Nitish Rana 81, Wanindu Hasaranga 4 wickets, IPL Purple Cap 2025, IPL Orange Cap 2025, RCB top of table, CSK vs RR result, IPL standings