Match overview
Rajasthan Royals beat Chennai Super Kings by 6 wickets in Delhi on 20 May 2025, chasing down a target of 188 with wickets to spare. Chennai had posted 187/8 from their 20 overs, a total that sat just above the Arun Jaitley Stadium average of 185 across 165 T20 matches. Rajasthan were measured early, scoring 56/1 in the powerplay, then accelerated through the middle overs with 94 runs for the loss of just 2 wickets. The chase was settled well before the death. Akash Madhwal was named Player of the Match.
Chennai's innings had a frantic start. They scored 68 runs in the powerplay but lost 3 wickets in the process, leaving their middle order with rebuilding work to do. They responded well, adding 78 across overs 7 to 15, and squeezed 41 from the final five to finish at a competitive 187/8. On most nights at this ground, that total is enough to challenge.
Rajasthan never quite looked troubled, even when they were below the required rate in the first six overs. Once the middle phase arrived, the chase gathered pace rapidly. By the time the death overs began, they needed only 38 from 5 overs with 6 wickets remaining. The result was effectively settled at that point.
Venue and conditions
Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi is among the more batter-friendly T20 venues in India, but not without nuance. The average first-innings score across 165 matches is 185, while the average second-innings score drops to 165, a gap that suggests first-innings totals frequently prove harder to chase than the scoreboard implies. The fact Rajasthan bucked that trend here speaks to the quality of their middle-overs batting.
The powerplay average at the ground is 44 runs, which makes Chennai's 68 in six overs look aggressive and, on paper, match-winning. The death-overs average of 37 means Chennai's 41 from overs 16 to 20 was slightly above par. Teams that field first have done so 59% of the time at this venue, and the chase success rate of 56% means the toss remains a meaningful variable rather than decisive. Rajasthan read both correctly.
Dew can be a factor at this ground during evening matches in the Indian spring, tending to make the ball harder to grip for bowlers in the second innings. Whether that played a role in the ease of Rajasthan's chase is worth considering, though their batting performance in the middle overs looked decisive regardless of surface conditions.
How to watch
IPL 2025 is broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports Cricket. Matches are available to stream via Sky Go for existing subscribers or through a NOW TV day or monthly pass for those without a full Sky package. UK viewers should note that evening matches in India typically begin at around 14:00 or 19:30 IST, equating to approximately 08:30 or 14:00 BST respectively, though start times can vary. The Sky Sports app carries live ball-by-ball coverage on mobile and tablet.
Recent form
Neither side came into this match in particularly settled form. Chennai Super Kings had won just one of their previous five IPL fixtures in 2025, a victory over Kolkata Knight Riders, with losses against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Punjab Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Mumbai Indians. Rajasthan Royals fared only marginally better, winning one of their last five against Gujarat Titans but losing to Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
With both teams looking to arrest poor runs, the toss and conditions in Delhi potentially carried more weight than they might in a mid-season fixture between sides at full confidence. Rajasthan's clinical middle-overs chase suggests they found their footing here when it mattered. Chennai will need to regroup; their next fixture offers an opportunity to respond, and their powerplay hitting showed there is still firepower in the top order.
