CSK vs RR, 68th Match at Mumbai, IPL, May 20 2022 - Match Result

Tomorrow has the deciding game which will complete the playoffs fixtures. So join us then. For now, that's all. Thank you for tuning in, hope you enjoyed our coverage. Stay safe and take care.

R Ashwin, POTM for his 40(23) and 1 for 28: Feels like a million dollars. It was a special day for us. Finishing with a win and getting two bites of the cherry was important. The communication was clear before the season on what I needed to work on. the management had ensured my role was well defined, I opened practice games. I was told I'll play in the powerplay but not at the death (laughs). In T20, you can't chase wickets. I have to make batters take risks. Sometimes, they don't and I'll have to bowl for the other end. I have understood the game well and am innovative. I don't have enough power, credit has to go to Rajamani (Prabhu, Strength Specialist) and Zubin Bharucha. They've understood my nature and that I don't bat the same every game. They've given me encouragement and I've practiced a lot. I want to play my A-game for all franchises I play for. It's a mark of respect. Glad we're in the playoffs. (On celebrations) I brought the David Warner inside me (laughs).

Sanju Samson, RR Captain: Feels good. The way we've played throughout the league stage stands out. We've had great games where almost everyone has stood up to win games. We deserve to be in this position is what I feel. It was important to understand that the wicket was good and they just kept going. It's hard to stop someone like Moeen Ali. It was okay to go for runs. We knew we could believe in our bowlers to come back stronger, we came back stronger than expected to give just 75 after the powerplay. I wanted to bring McCoy over when the powerplay was done and he was more confident and comfortable. He used his change-ups and is maturing as a cricketer really well. There were nerves with the bat with cricket being a funny game, them having good bowlers, and the pitch being stoppy. Ashwin has done a great job and has turned out to be a great all-rounder for us. He batted a lot in the nets before the season.

11.08 pm Ashwin's knock vaults Rajasthan Royals past Lucknow Super Giants. It means Rajasthan will take on Gujarat Titans in the first playoff match on Tuesday for a straight shot into the IPL Final. Meanwhile, Lucknow awaits their opponent, which will be either Delhi Capitals or Royal Challengers Bangalore. If Delhi beat Mumbai Indians tomorrow, it will be Delhi v Lucknow. If Delhi loses, it will be Lucknow v RCB.

CSK captain MS Dhoni: "What we need to realize is we're playing a batter light. Once we lost those quick wickets, Moeen had to change his momentum. I feel if one of the batters had batted with him, he could have continued his momentum. The role and responsibility got slightly swapped once we lost those wickets and that made it really difficult. So a batter light with the last four, they're not really known for their batting. If we went hard and lost another wicket there, we wouldn't have got anything that we would look to defend. I would say [we were] 10-15 [runs short]. You need to bowl well after that. If their openers get going and if they get too many in the first six, then also 180 is not enough. Depending on whatever the par score is, the start is important, the first six overs specially on wickets that are really nice. So I feel definitely 15 runs short. [Asked about Solanki and Pathirana] Whatever games they have got, they have learned a lot from it. One of the biggest examples is Mukesh. He has played all the games but what is impressive is to see from the first game to the last game how he has improved, how he can bowl at the death. Still what he will do is go back and learn out of the outings he has got. That's what we really want from players. Once they have got that experience, what is important from next year once they turn up from IPL is that they don't start from scratch again. That is what is needed from the youngsters and most of them have made the most of whatever chance they have got. Our Malinga, he's really good. It's difficult to pick him and I feel he will definitely contribute next year for us in a big way. We have done well in patches but what is important to keep doing well as a team. The crucial thing is whenever you get an opportunity, once you are in, you need to make the most of it whether you are a bowler or a batter and keep learning. It's not a one-year tournament. You keep coming back year after year. So once you keep learning and once you mature, that's when you capitalize and be a big IPL player for the next 10-12 years. That's what you need from youngsters."

Rajasthan bowler Obed McCoy: "I think it was a better bowling performance from me. My line and length were better. I bowled less wides and had more control over everything. Malinga helped me in the nets. He was telling me to be consistent. Don't overthink, use your variations and be smart for each ball. The pitch was gripping, but with the newer ball it was sliding on a bit more. For me with the older ball, the lengths were important and the variations as well. [On bowling the cutter] I've had it for as long as I've had the back of the hand. I bowled two back of the hand slower balls and they slipped basically because of the sweat and I said I would bowl the offcutter because it's easier that way to grip. Everyone is happy. We worked hard to get here and it's just us going and winning the next game. [On Ashwin] That was fun to watch, especially his celebration making the 40."

Ananth: "Ashwin has clearly read cricinfo's article about the number of boundaries being a better predictor for success as compared to singles and dot balls. He's hit so many sixes this season! I'm so glad that RR has consistently sent Ashwin to bat early in many of their innings."

7 needed off the final over. The ball has been handed to the 19-year-old Sri Lankan Pathirana.

Vishal: "What an allrounder Ashwin is turning out to be for RR. Just brilliant!"

Choudhary switches back over the stumps.

Manish : "Impressed by Ashwin's batting this season. Really looks like he is doing everything possible to be in contention for t20 wc squad. He should be there in my view. "

Vidhu : "I still clearly remember the toe-crushing yorker from Bret Lee to U. Chand. Poor soul. Didn't stand a chance. "

Around the stumps now.

Venkatesh Prasa: "For people speaking about chand, it must be noted that he has scored a lot of centuries at the u19 level compared to the other indian youngsters who excelled more than him in the senior stage. The season where he got zeros in the first three IPL matches with mumbai indians started his downfall. He never recovered after that in IPL and domestic cricket."

Choudhary returns for his final over, first since the Powerplay. 19 off 12 to win.

Hemendra: "I think Chand was neither over rated nor unfortunate. Based on his U-19 performance and talent, he got enough chances in senior Cricket. But he could not convert it into performance for Delhi, hope he can do it in and for the USA. "

Ani: "On the topic of Chand, can't help but feel that he wouldn't been more successful even if he been more consistent in domestic cricket. Sheldon Jackson, Jalaj saxena and co have had to toil for years without much reward when we had younger players like pant, Iyer and co fast-tracked. Tough selection on consistent demoestic players, can't help but feel it came down to IPL performances."

sanje: "Unmukt has actually just moved into my neighbourhood. I am still gathering the courage to speak to him though!" He's a nice guy from my interactions with him. I'm sure he'd be happy to chat.

Pathirana returns.

Viswa: "I think Unmukt is overrated player. He scored a century in the finals and won the world cup. Agreed. But it was Baba Aparajith who played consistently and scored crucial runs in both Quarter finals and Semi Finals but never even got the limelight that Chand got." Well, Chand was the captain after all.