Match overview
Rajasthan Royals beat Chennai Super Kings by 3 runs at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on 12 April 2023. Batting first, Rajasthan posted 175/8 on a surface that historically averages 192 in the first innings across 127 T20 matches at the ground. CSK's chase produced one of the more dramatic finishes of the IPL season: they fell to 113/6 at one point before a remarkable death-overs recovery of 59 runs off the final phase without losing a wicket brought them agonisingly close. R Ashwin, playing against his home crowd for the visiting side, won Player of the Match.
CSK won the toss and chose to field, a decision that looked correct early on. Rajasthan's powerplay of 57/1 was above the venue's average of 43 runs in the opening six overs, and their middle overs added a further 78 runs for 3 wickets. The death phase produced 40 runs at the cost of 4 wickets, which is broadly in line with the ground's historical average of 38 death-overs runs. The total of 175 was below the venue average but proved sufficient on the night.
Venue and conditions
M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai is one of the most spin-friendly surfaces in the IPL. The average first-innings score of 192 across 127 matches sits higher than what both sides produced here, partly because conditions tightened as the evening progressed. Dew can shift the balance in evening matches, and the fact that CSK's death overs produced 59 runs without the loss of a wicket suggests conditions became more favourable for batting late in the game.
The toss has historically been less decisive here than at other IPL grounds. Fielding-first sides choose to chase 41 per cent of the time, and the 46 per cent chase success rate means batting first carries a modest structural advantage. Chennai Super Kings are historically strong at Chepauk, making Rajasthan's ability to defend a sub-average total all the more significant. The pitch tends to offer slow bowlers meaningful assistance in the middle overs, which plays into why spin-heavy bowling attacks often thrive here.
How to watch
IPL matches are broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket. Streaming is available through Sky Go for existing subscribers and via NOW TV for those on a day or monthly pass. UK kick-off times for evening IPL fixtures are typically around 15:30 BST for afternoon games and 19:30 BST for the later evening slot; always check the Sky Sports schedule for confirmed timings as they can vary during the season.
Recent form
Rajasthan Royals arrived in Chennai off the back of a mixed run. They had won their two most recent matches, including a victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2023, but had lost to Punjab Kings between those two results. Their longer record showed wins over Royal Challengers Bangalore alongside a defeat to Gujarat Titans in 2022, suggesting a side capable of beating quality opposition but not entirely consistent.
Chennai Super Kings came into this fixture in reasonable shape, having won back-to-back games against Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants in 2023 before this match. Their prior defeats to Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals indicated some vulnerability against top-four opponents. Defending at Chepauk, their fortress, will have felt like the right call after winning the toss, even if the outcome proved otherwise. Rajasthan's win moves them ahead in the all-time head-to-head series for the first time, and both sides will meet again in a rivalry that has produced 32 matches without ever separating them by more than a single win.
