IPL 2018: Twitter Reacts As Chennai Super Kings Rout Rajasthan Royals

Riding on Shane Watson’s brilliant century, Chennai Super Kings thrashed Rajasthan Royals by 64 runs to get back to winning ways.

With a mountain to climb in front of them, Royals needed a bright start in their pursuit of 205. However, they started on a dismal note. By the end of the powerplay, they found themselves three down with just 35 runs on the board.

Debutant Heinrich Klaasen was the first to depart, falling to Shardul Thakur for just 7. Deepak Chahar then sent back the in-form Sanju Samson to leave Super Kings reeling at 25 for 2. And even before they could recover from those setbacks, Thakur all but sealed their fate by dismissing their skipper Ajinkya Rahane for 16.

English duo Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler then took charge of the innings. However, they failed to accelerate and as a result, the scoreboard was reading 77 for 3. On the very next ball after the tenth over, Dwayne Bravo dismissed Buttler to put Super Kings on top. The game looked pretty much over when they were 5 down with just 96 runs on the board.

The visitors kept on losing wickets at regular intervals. As a result, they never looked in contention and were eventually bowled out for 140.

Earlier in the match, Shane Watson’s third IPL century helped Super Kings pile up a massive 204 for 5. The former Australia international scored 106 runs off just 57 balls.

Ajinkya Rahane’s decision to bowl first did not yield the desired result. Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu came out all guns blazing as Super Kings raced away to fifty in just 26 balls. Ambati Rayudu, however, failed to stay long and departed after scoring 12 off 8.

The wicket, however, did not make Watson adapt a cautious approach. He found an able partner in Suresh Raina who started playing his shots right from the start. Watson reached his fifty in the ninth over when he hit K Gowtham for two sixes and a four. Super Kings entered the three-digit mark in the 10th over. At the end of the 12th over, the scoreboard was reading a daunting 132. During the 12th over, Royals had something to celebrate when Shreyas Gopal dismissed Suresh Raina. The southpaw scored 46 off 29.

Super Kings reached the 150-run mark in the 13th over. In the very following over, Shreyas Gopal sent back in-form MS Dhoni to help his team put some pressure on the visitors. Sam Billings also failed to get going, scoring just 3 but Watson continued making merry against his former team. He reached his 100 off 51 balls with the help of 9 fours and 6 sixes. He was eventually dismissed in the final over after scoring 106 off 57 balls. Dwayne Bravo also played a handy knock towards the end to help his side get past the 200-run mark.

Here is how Twitter reacted to the innings:

A new wind is blowing in week 2. Bat first, put up a good score and suck the life out of the run-chase…….

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 20, 2018

Kohli, Pandey and now Stokes. NRR is the final winner.

— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) April 20, 2018

Watch the ball. Watch the ball, man. When you're terribly out of nick, that is one simple thing you can do. Stokes trying to muscle it but not watching it from the hand.

— Bharath Ramaraj (@Fancricket12) April 20, 2018

If a person moves bases from Chennai to Pune, either he is with CSK or he works for Cognizant. #CSKvRR

— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) April 20, 2018

https://twitter.com/SamreenRazzaqui/status/987359922357760000

Cmon Rajasthan, play for quantum of defeat now. #IPL2018

— Shubh Aggarwal (@shubh_chintak) April 20, 2018

Two matches in a row Sanju Samson has got out cheaply to same shot. Too bad…

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 20, 2018

CSK asked for review to get a break as their fielders got tired after fielding for 2.2 overs…

— The Lying Lama 2.0 (@KyaUkhaadLega) April 20, 2018

There are certain shots that are synonymous with particular players. For me the back foot drive & front foot pull….hit like a ? too, belongs to @ShaneRWatson33 ?????? #CSKvRR

— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) April 20, 2018

Fewer sixes than Gayle in his century, but also fewer balls to reach three-figure mark. This is a top class century by Shane Watson…

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 20, 2018

Mike Hussey
Matthew Hayden
Shane Watson
You Say Old, We Say Gold ?

— DHONIsm™ ❤️ (@DHONIism) April 20, 2018

Chris Gayle And Shane Watson. 2 Centuries In 2 Days. And Pakistanis Say #IPL Is Boring. ??? #CSKvRR #CSKvsRR #WhistlePodu

— Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja) April 20, 2018

“Aur fir aaya Watson…..” #CSKvRR pic.twitter.com/oCTs7xnxcO

— The Lying Lama 2.0 (@KyaUkhaadLega) April 20, 2018

Rahane is a shrewd tactician. Only bowled 2 overs from Sir Binny to keep him fresh for impending 150*(50) innings. #IPL

— cricBC (@cricBC) April 20, 2018

Shane Watson:

22/04/2013 – A century for RR while playing against CSK
20/04/2018 – A century for CSK while playing against RR#IPL2018 #CSKvRR

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) April 20, 2018

Shane Watson:

22/04/2013 – A century for RR while playing against CSK
20/04/2018 – A century for CSK while playing against RR#IPL2018 #CSKvRR

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) April 20, 2018

Stuart Binny making Vinay Kumar look like a champion bowler #CSKvRR #IPL2018

— Navneet Mundhra (@navneet_mundhra) April 20, 2018

How to perform better in IPL?

"Play a season for RCB and then quit the team." #IPL

— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) April 8, 2018

Watto player.. Watttto Playaaaah .. Brute force ! @ShaneRWatson33 RR in early trouble #CSKVsRR

— Jatin Sapru (@jatinsapru) April 20, 2018

Death, Taxes, Short ball first up to Raina. #Inevitable #IPL

— cricBC (@cricBC) April 20, 2018

https://twitter.com/sagarcasm/status/987338871703785472

Watson has pulled a leaf from Gayle's book and CSK are off to a flier — with some help from butterfingered fielding by Rajasthan!

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 20, 2018

https://twitter.com/sagarcasm/status/987334920082284545

https://twitter.com/mainbhiengineer/status/987345418991398912