After restricting CSK to 127, RR openers Vaibhav and Jaiswal launch their own powerplay in overcast conditions. They begin in style, taking 18 runs off Henry’s first over .
Vaibhav has carved a cutter behind point for a six off the back foot. A generational talent is on display, and with both batters tearing apart the CSK bowlers, they have no clue how to stop them. In just 15 balls, Vaibhav brings up the second-fastest half-century for RR, just one ball behind Jaiswal, his opening partner, in the opening match of the season against CSK, showing why he is one of the youngest players to watch. RR are in control of the chase, and now it’s CSK who must produce something special.
Vaibhav has always shown his love for CSK, and history reflects that as well. Last year against CSK, he scored a brilliant 57 off 33 balls. Today, he ensured CSK had no chance in the match, dominating the powerplay and reaching his fifty within the first six overs. With this, he joins an elite list of RR batters—Jos Buttler (three times), Yashasvi Jaiswal (twice), Vaibhav Suryavanshi (twice), Michael Lumb, Ben Stokes, and Nitish Rana (once each) who have reached 50 runs within the first six overs of an innings for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.
The game is effectively over for CSK; only the formalities remain. Their focus will be to stretch things out as long as possible and limit the damage to their net run rate. This will help them in the later stages of the IPL, as it is only their first game, and they will look to bounce back from this heavy defeat.
powerplay 6 over – 74 runs
Yashasvi Jaiswal- 18(21)
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi -52 (16)
Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Riyan Parag(c), Dhruv Jurel(w), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma
Rajasthan Royals Impact subs: Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Sushant Mishra, Tushar Deshpande