Rajasthan Royals demolished Chennai Super Kings in Match 3 of IPL 2026. The match took place at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. RR chased down a target of 128 in just 12.1 overs and won by 8 wickets with 47 balls remaining.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi announced himself to the IPL with a jaw-dropping 52 off 17 balls, hitting 4 fours and 5 sixes at a strike rate of 305.88. He reached his fifty in just 15 balls before being caught off Anshul Kamboj at 6.2 overs. Yashasvi Jaiswal held the chase together with an unbeaten 38 off 36 balls, while Dhruv Jurel smashed a quick 18 off 9 balls. Captain Riyan Parag finished the job with an unbeaten 14 off 11 balls.
For CSK, only Jamie Overton offered any real resistance with a fighting 43 off 36 balls at the death. Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger claimed 2 wickets each with the new ball to blow away CSK’s top order. Ravindra Jadeja added 2 more wickets in the middle overs to keep CSK contained at 127.
Match Summary: RR vs CSK, IPL 2026 Match 3
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| CSK Score | 127/10 (19.4 overs) |
| RR Score | 128/2 (12.1 overs) |
| Match Result | RR won by 8 wickets (47 balls remaining) |
| Best Batting (RR) | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi – 52 off 17 balls |
| Best Bowling (RR) | Jofra Archer – 2/19 in 4 overs |
| Venue | Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati |
CSK Innings: 127/10 in 19.4 Overs
Chennai Super Kings were put in to bat after RR won the toss at Guwahati. The surface offered bowlers movement early, and RR’s pace attack made full use of it.
Jofra Archer removed Ruturaj Gaikwad for 6 in the 3rd over, while Nandre Burger dismissed both Sanju Samson (6) and Ayush Mhatre (0) to leave CSK at 19/3 inside the powerplay. Matthew Short added just 2 before falling to Sandeep Sharma, with CSK managing only 41 runs in the first 6 overs for 4 wickets.
Impact substitute Sarfaraz Khan provided brief relief with 17 off 12 balls before Ravindra Jadeja struck with two wickets in quick succession removing both Sarfaraz and Shivam Dube to leave CSK reeling at 57/6. Kartik Sharma, handed his T20 debut by CSK, showed promise with 18 off 15 balls before falling lbw to debutant Brijesh Sharma. Jamie Overton was the lone fighter at the death, hitting 43 off 36 balls including 2 fours and 2 sixes, to drag CSK to a below-par 127.
RR Chase: 128/2 in 12.1 Overs
RR’s reply was a masterclass in power-hitting from ball one. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi launched the CSK attack from the very first over, reaching his fifty in just 15 balls the fastest fifty of IPL 2026 so far. He and Jaiswal put on a devastating 75-run opening stand off just 38 balls in the powerplay.
RR smashed 74 runs in the powerplay alone without losing a wicket, completely neutralising CSK’s 127-run target. Sooryavanshi was finally caught by Sarfaraz Khan off Anshul Kamboj at 6.2 overs for 52. Kamboj struck again in the 9th over, bowling Dhruv Jurel for 18. Jaiswal and Parag then calmly finished the job, knocking off the remaining runs in a 29-run unbeaten stand.
Anshul Kamboj was CSK’s only bright spot with the ball, claiming both RR wickets for 27 runs in 3 overs. Matt Henry and Noor Ahmad were expensive, conceding 40 and 24 runs respectively in their spells.
Key Highlight: Sooryavanshi’s Record-Breaking Fifty
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s innings was the defining moment of the chase and arguably the talking point of IPL 2026’s opening week. Here are the key numbers:
- Sooryavanshi’s fifty: Reached in just 15 balls
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: 52 off 17 balls
- Opening stand: 75 runs off 38 balls
- RR Powerplay: 74/0 in 6 overs
- Margin of victory: 8 wickets with 47 balls remaining
The powerplay stand put RR 74/0 inside 6 overs, effectively ending CSK’s hopes before the halfway mark. Jofra Archer’s 2/19 in 4 overs gave RR early control with the ball, and Sooryavanshi’s blitz settled the chase before CSK could fight back. RR sent a dominant message to the rest of the IPL with an all-round performance at Guwahati.
