Guwahati, Mar 30:

Rajasthan Royals (RR) delivered a commanding performance to defeat Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their opening match of Indian Premier League 2026, sealing a comprehensive win in Guwahati.

Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, RR’s new captain Riyan Parag made an immediate impact with his decision. The pace duo of Nandre Burger and Jofra Archer rattled the CSK top order, reducing them to a precarious position inside the powerplay with four quick wickets.

CSK’s struggles continued as Ravindra Jadeja, facing his former franchise, turned the screws with a brilliant spell, claiming two wickets in a single over. The batting lineup failed to recover from the early collapse, eventually being bundled out for a modest total of 127.

Adding to their woes, Sanju Samson endured a disappointing outing on his debut for CSK.

In response, RR made light work of the chase, thanks to a sensational knock by 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The youngster stunned the opposition with a blistering half-century off just 15 balls, effectively taking the game away from CSK within the first few overs.

RR comfortably chased down the target in just 12.1 overs, marking a dominant start to their IPL 2026 campaign while handing CSK a heavy defeat in their opener.