CSK vs RR Highlights and Match Recap, IPL 2019, Full cricket score: Dhoni, Bravo lead Super Kings to eight-run win

That brings us to the conclusion of the second weekend double-header of IPL 2019, with Sunday witnessing a lopsided victory for SRH over RCB in the afternoon fixture, followed by a cliffhanger between CSK and RR in which MS Dhoni's men walked away with an eight-run win to make it three wins in as many games. Dhoni turned back the clock with an unbeaten 75 that saw him accelerate in the second half of the innings with some vintage aggression, helping CSK post a competitive 175/5. RR made a decent comeback after losing three quick wickets, and were very much in the game till the last before, before DJ Bravo dished out yet another example of why he still is among the best death bowlers in the world at the moment. 

The action moves to Mohali on Monday, where KXIP host DC — both teams coming off victories from the Saturday fixtures. For now, it's time for us to bid you all good night! 

MS Dhoni, CSK skipper: We wanted to get a partnership going because at that point of time that was needed. Also, we bat quite deep. Then we can look to get runs in the last few overs. I think we are quite comfortable with the 11 players we have right now. If we have no injuries, no need to make change. As tournament progresses, for some reason or the other, people get chances. In IPL, bowlers get much better. It was very difficult for the spinners, so we had to maneouvre around. Slightly difficult to hit the fast bowlers. So we were able to rotate. I think the leg-spinner bowled very well. Credit goes to Immy (Tahir). Irrespective of how the result would've come I think it was important to see how we could cut the boundaries. I felt there were a lot of things we could've done. Those are the things we need to evaluate. That's where the spirit of the game comes in. The crowd has been brilliant here. We always get an added support everywhere. 

MS Dhoni is the Man of the Match for his unbeaten 75! 

Ajinkya Rahane, losing captain: Very disappointed today. We started well in the first ten overs, but the last five overs costed us. When Dhoni bats it is very difficult for the bowlers. It was very hard for the bowlers to grip the ball after six overs, even the fast bowlers. CSK bowled really well, they kept taking wickets. As a batting unit we need to take the responsibility for this. We win as a team and we lose as a team. If we win the smaller moments in T20s we will do will. We have played well in the last three games and hopefully with some luck we'll be able to turn it around.

Yet another game gone which RR will think they could have won. But the CSK bowlers proved better in adverse conditions, showing skill and control even with a wet ball. For RR, they need to think about some changes; Rahane and Unadkat will feel under pressure. The next game is against RCB, who are struggling just as much. 

In IPL at the moment,

Dwayne Bravo : 99 wickets for CSK

Suresh Raina : 99 catches 

After 20 overs,Rajasthan Royals 167/8 ( Jofra Archer 24 , Jaydev Unadkat 0)

After getting hammered all over the park in his previous over, Bravo concedes just three runs and collects two wickets off a magical final over to help CSK pull off an eight-run thrilling victory at the Chepauk, and maintain their unbeaten run in IPL 2019! Archer remains unbeaten on 24 off 11, showing his usefulness as a lower-order pinch-hitter, although he couldn't quite find the answers to Bravo's riddles in the final over. 

Ball 6: CSK win the thriller by 8 runs! Bravo has pulled a rabbit out of the hat yet again! Just a single is what Archer can collect off the last ball! RR 167/8

Ball 5: OUT! Gopal gets a thick edge off a length ball, and Tahir gobbles it up at third man! This is magical from DJ Bravo! RR 166/8; need 10 off 1 ball! 

Ball 4: Brilliant from Bravo! Full delivery outside off, and Archer can only pat it towards cover for a single. He chips the base of his bat, and needs a change! RR 166/7; need 10 off 2 balls! 

Ball 3: Leg bye! Gopal gets hit on his back, and sets off for the non-striker's end. Archer on strike now! RR 165/7; need 11 off 3 balls! 

Ball 2: DOT! So far so good for CSK! Slower bouncer, and Gopal misses it! RR 164/7; need 12 off 4 balls! 

Ball 1: OUT! HUGE, HUGE WICKET! Stokes hits this straight to Raina at extra cover! Stokes has to depart for a well-made 46 off 26. More importantly, the new batsman will be on strike, and not Archer. RR 164/7; need 12 off 5 balls! 

We'll now bring you the final over ball-by-ball. Bravo to do the honours! RR need 12 off 6.

After 19 overs,Rajasthan Royals 164/6 ( Ben Stokes 46 , Jofra Archer 22)

Thakur bowls the crucial penultimate over. A test of fire for him it seems. Starts off by conceding a leg bye while bowling to Stokes. Archer heaves towards third man, getting a bit of an edge, and comes back for a second run. Slower back-of-length delivery to Archer off the third, the batsman getting only one. Stokes collects a six off the fourth to shift the balance in Royals' favour once again. He then drives towards deep cover for a brace off the fifth. Single to Stokes off the last ball. Would've been an excellent over for Shardul had it not been for that six. RR need 12 off 6 now.  

SIX! Thakur fires one down the leg side! Stokes swivels around, connecting well enough to send the ball over the rope on this occasion. RR 161/6

One of England's greats, and the player who might replace him as the country's best allrounder. Stokes and Archer are keeping RR in the hunt. 

After 18 overs,Rajasthan Royals 151/6 ( Ben Stokes 37 , Jofra Archer 19)

Stokes starts off Bravo's third over with a six and a four, putting the latter under pressure right away. Slower ball from Bravo off the third delivery, with an agile stop at cover allowing just a single. Archer flicks a yorker towards deep square-leg for a double, before swatting a slower ball over long on for a six off the fifth. 19 runs leaked by Bravo in this over. Stokes has an ideal partner in Archer right now, and Rajasthan suddenly look favourites to chase this down, needing 25 off 12. 

SIX! Slower ball from Bravo, picked up Archer, and the latter swats this over long on for a big hit! RR 151/6

FOUR! Stokes this time shuffles to his left, and goes for a paddle, guiding it past the man at 45. RR 142/6

SIX! Stokes lands the first punch in his battle against Bravo! Makes room, and lofts inside out! RR 138/6

After 17 overs,Rajasthan Royals 132/6 ( Ben Stokes 26 , Jofra Archer 11)

Thakur returns to the attack, and collects a wicket and concedes a boundary off the first two deliveries — the first instance resulting in the dismissal of Gowtham for 9. Single off each of the next two balls. Archer ends the over with a six over long on. 12 off the over. The game's heading towards a tense finish from the looks of it. RR need 44 off 18 balls. 

SIX! Archer ends the 17th over with a bang, clearing the long on fence on this occasion! RR 132/6

FOUR! Positive start for Archer, who gets width first ball, and slashes it behind square for a boundary. RR 124/6

OUT! Raina at the cover arc is always a threat for batsmen! Gowtham looks for an inside-out slog, but doesn't quite middle it; the bat turns in his hand, Raina has to move to his left to complete the catch. RR 120/6

Gowtham c Raina b Thakur 9(8)

After 16 overs,Rajasthan Royals 120/5 ( Ben Stokes 25 , Krishnappa Gowtham 9)

Gowtham smashes the ball into the stands beyond deep midwicket to start Tahir's final over with a six. The South African leggie keeps it tight in the remaining deliveries of the over, giving away just three singles. He finishes with figures of 2/23. RR need 56 off 24 balls.

Things have gone badly downhill and RR seem to be heading to their third consecutive loss. This will hurt them, as they are one of the teams that really needed to start well considering they will lose all their first-choice overseas talent once the World Cup comes close. 

SIX! Gowtham shimmies down the track, and showcases his power-hitting skills with a leg-side smash! RR 117/5

After 15 overs,Rajasthan Royals 111/5 ( Ben Stokes 24 , Krishnappa Gowtham 1)

Jadeja returns to the attack. Stokes collects a double off each of the first two balls, before getting down on one knee and smashing the ball towards the cow-corner fence to collect his first big hit. Single collected off the next two balls. Stokes collects a quick double off the last ball. 14 off the over. RR needed 65 off 30 balls. Second timeout taken. 

SIX! Stokes gets down on one knee, and clubs the ball towards the cow corner fence! RR 107/5

After 14 overs,Rajasthan Royals 97/5 ( Ben Stokes 11 , Krishnappa Gowtham 0)

Smith is dismissed off the second delivery of Tahir's third over, succumbing to the pressure of accelerating Rajasthan's scoring rate, falling victim to a miscued slog down the ground. Gowtham joins Stokes at the crease, and it's the England all-rounder who has to take charge of the chase now. RR need 79 off 36 balls. 

OUT! Smith shuffles forward, and miscues the full toss while trying to slog down the ground. Huge shout of "Catch it!", and the substitute fielder at long off completes a simple catch in the end! The Aussie is yet to muster up a big score so far in this edition of the league. RR 94/5

Smith c sub(Shorey) b Tahir 28(30)

Stage set for Smith to earn his bread and stake his claim. He's on a run a ball now, but this is around the time when the dew became unbearable for the bowlers in the first innings. Even with the ball changed, it won't take more than two overs for this ball to bloat and start slipping from the hands. 

After 13 overs,Rajasthan Royals 93/4 ( Steven Smith 28 , Ben Stokes 7)

Bravo starts his second over with a couple of wides, the first one eliciting an appeal for caught-behind from the keeper. Four singles collected off the remaining deliveries of the over. RR need 83 off 42. 

After 12 overs,Rajasthan Royals 87/4 ( Steven Smith 26 , Ben Stokes 5)

Tahir into his second over, with Smith and Stokes continuing to rotate the strike between themselves through the ones, and the occasional two. Dhoni will be happy as long as his side can dry up the boundaries for these two. RR need 89 off 48 balls. 

Most wickets for overseas leg-spinners in IPL:

58 - IMRAN TAHIR* (And counting)

57 - Shane Warne

40 - Rashid Khan

Dwayne Bravo needs to take three wickets to become the first bowler to take 100 wickets for CSK in IPL.

After 11 overs,Rajasthan Royals 80/4 ( Steven Smith 21 , Ben Stokes 3)

Bravo brought into the attack in the 11th over and he starts off on a tidy note, conceding five off it, including one double. New batsman Stokes is off the mark, and he will have to get going soon enough, with the asking rate starting to climb. RR need 96 off 54. 

Ravindra Jadeja is the only bowler with two four-fors against RR in IPL. He has dismissed Smith four times in IPL.

After 10 overs,Rajasthan Royals 75/4 ( Steven Smith 19 , Ben Stokes 0)

Smith narrowly survives a stumping chance off Tahir's very first delivery of the evening. The SA spinner follows it up with a googly to the Aussie batsman. Singles collected off the next three deliveries. Tahir collects a simple return catch off the last delivery to break the partnership, as Tripathi is forced to return to the dugout for a 24-ball 39. At the halfway mark of the innings, it still is anybody's game. RR need 101 off 60 balls. 

OUT! Tahir strikes in his very first over, dismissing the well-set Tripathi by collecting a simple return catch from the batsman! RR 75/4

Tripathi c and b Tahir 39(24)

After 9 overs,Rajasthan Royals 72/3 ( Rahul Tripathi 38 , Steven Smith 17)

Santner concedes eight off his second over after returning with the ball in hand, including a boundary to Tripathi off the third delivery. Meanwhile, the partnership is in excess of 50. Umpire calls for the timeout. RR need 104 off 66 now. 

FOUR! Another boundary to Tripathi, this one off an inside-out loft towards deep extra cover. RR 70/3

FIFTY partnership up between Tripathi and Smith for the fourth-wicket, a much-needed one for the Royals who looked completely out of sorts after losing three early wickets. Smith collects a single to bring up the milestone. RR 64/3

After 8 overs,Rajasthan Royals 63/3 ( Rahul Tripathi 31 , Steven Smith 15)

Jadeja brought into the attack in the eighth over. Tripathi collects his fourth boundary with a well-timed drive off the second ball. Nine off the over, with the partnership worth 49 at the end of it. 

FOUR! Well-timed drive through the extra cover region by Tripathi! Jadhav puts in a dive in the deep, but his effort ultimately goes in vain. RR 59/3

After 7 overs,Rajasthan Royals 54/3 ( Rahul Tripathi 24 , Steven Smith 13)

Chahar bowls his final over. Single collected off each of the first three deliveries. Tripathi mistimes a pull towards square-leg, where the ball lands at a safe distance from a jogging Watson. Tripathi collects a boundary off the last delivery. Chahar finishes a quality spell with figures of 2/19. 

FOUR! Pulled away towards fine-leg by Tripathi off Chahar's last delivery of the evening. RR 50/3

Yuzvendra Chahal once told me that they sometimes train with a wet ball, by dunking a ball in a bucket of water, so they are ready for situations like these. Tough day to be a bowler so RR have a chance to capitalise. 

After 6 overs,Rajasthan Royals 45/3 ( Rahul Tripathi 18 , Steven Smith 10)

A forgettable over from Santner, as the ball slips out of his grasp on two occasions, both getting dispatched for fours by Tripathi. What's worse, the second one is called a no-ball for height, and Tripathi smashes the ball over the bowler's head for a six in the free-hit. 17 runs off the over. The Kiwi spinner will likely be taken off after this over.