Powered by Watson's 106, CSK inaugurates new home with 64-run win

Rajasthan Royals won the toss and opted to field first against Chennai Super at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, which is the new home ground of the Super Kings.

Shane Watson slammed his third IPL century as Chennai Super Kings moved to their new 'home' with a 64-run victory over Rajasthan Royals at Pune and with that moved to the top of the points table.       

Playing first match at their new home venue, CSK were shepherded by the 36-year-old Australian, who hammered 106 from 57 balls, making full use of a dropped chance in the very first over on a flat track. Watson's 106 off 57 balls led Super Kings to 204 for five after being invited to bat first by the Royals.

In reply, Royals were bowled out for 140 in 18.3 overs. Young medium pacers Raul Chahar and Shardul Thakur led the charge for the hosts with the ball pricking up two wickets a piece.

Thakur and Chahar rocked Royals early in the chase, removing their top three (Klaasen, Rahane and Samson) for just 32.

Klaasen, playing his first match of the season was cleaned up Thakur for 7. Chahar from the other end gave two telling blows by removing captain Rahane (16) and the in-from Samson (2) cheaply.

Stokes (45) and Buttler (22) tried to do the resurrection act but it was always going to be too much against the likes of Imran Tahir, Karn Sharma and Dwayne Bravo and once they were dismissed it was a one-way traffic.

Earlier, Watson shared a 50-run stand with fellow opener Ambati Rayudu (12) and then raised a 81-run partnership for the second wicket with comeback-man  Suresh Raina, who hit a fiery 46 off 29 balls with nine shots to the fence. 

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Watson was in regal touch as the Australian pummelled Royals bowlers after being dropped in the opening over, bowled by Stuart Binny. With no assistance on offer, the bowlers needed to be disciplined with their line and length but they were guilty of bowling either too full or short.

Watson swung his arms when the ball was pitched outside off and positioned himself nicely against short and straight deliveries to find boundary after boundary. He hit nine fours and six sixes in his entertaining knock.

If CSK could not post a more daunting total on board, it was because of Royals' leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal, who stopped the run flow if not choked the CSK line-up, by accounting for three batsmen, including MS Dhoni in quick succession.

Gopal conceded just 20 runs in his four-over quota.

Royals' captain Ajinkya Rahane used five different bowlers in first five bowlers and it was Australian Ben Laughlin who got the first success as he removed Rayudu in the fifth. However already 50 runs were on the board and it was Watson who was the danger man.

In came Raina and the left-hander creamed off four boundaries off Ben Stokes' over.  The job only got tougher for Royals bowlers. At half-way mark, CSK were 107 for one.

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In no time, Watson was approaching his hundred and Raina, a half-century, but  Gopal brought relief for Royals by getting the latter caught in deep by Gowtham.

There was no stopping Watson from the other end. He not only hit powerful shots but also used his wrists nicely for some delicate boundaries.

Gopal though was doing a great job for his side as he stopped run flow by dismissing CSK captain MS Dhoni (5), who had enthralled his fans with a blistering fifty in the last match, and Sam Billings (3) in his successive overs.

Watson completed his century in the 18th over and was out on penultimate ball of the innings.

Toss Report

Rajasthan Royals won the toss and opted to field first against Chennai Super at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, which is the new home ground of the Super Kings.

The biggest relief for CSK fans was to see MS Dhoni walk up for the toss after there were speculations that he might not take the field due to a back injury.

Dhoni kept everyone guessing whether he will take the gloves or not. “I can tell you more about it in three and a half hours time,” said the CSK captain at toss time.

Dhoni also confirmed that vice-captain Suresh Raina has recovered from his calf injury and has replaced Murali Vijay in the playing XI. There was one eye-brow raising change in the spin department with veteran Harbhajan Singh making way for leggie Karn Sharma.

Rajasthan on the other hand made two changes to their playing XI. They finally ran out of patience after persisting with D’arcy Short for four matches and decided to try out South African keeper batsman Heinrich Klaasen. Dhawal Kulkarni has replaced by Stuart Binny, who will also play his first match of the season.

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Sam Billings, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar, Karn Sharma, Shardul Thakur, Imran Tahir

Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Ajinkya Rahane(c), Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler(w), Heinrich Klaasen, Stuart Binny, Krishnappa Gowtham, Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat, Ben Laughlin