Rajasthan Royals began this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign with a comprehensive win of 16 runs against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Tuesday at the Sharjah International Stadium.

Sanju Samson, with a blistering 32-ball knock of 74 runs, was the start of the night for the Royals. He was ably supported by skipper Steve Smith’s gritty innings of 69 runs off 47 balls and Jofra Archer’s fiery 8-ball cameo of 27 runs in the last over.

Rahul Tewatia with 3/37 was the pick of the bowlers as 2008 IPL champions successfully defended the 216 they had put on the board, despite Faf du Plessis’ efforts of 72 runs off 37 balls for the yellow team.

Chasing the massive 217-run target, CSK were off to a flying start, with openers Shane Watson and Murli Vijay taking their team past the 50-run mark in 5.5 overs.

Tewatia drew the first blood for RR as he packed back Watson (33) in the seventh over with CSK’s scorecard reading 56/1. Just before CSK could add couple of runs to their total, Shreyas Gopal sent back Vijay (21).

CSK then lost Sam Curran (17), Ruturaj Gaikwad, who departed without scoring, and Kedar Jadhav (22) at regular intervals. However, it was du Plessis who kept CSK’s hopes alive.

With the required run-rate continuously mounting up, du Plessis showed his prowess after clobbering the Royals bowlers all round the park.

The South African, however, failed to convert it into a win as he was dismissed by Archer in the 19th over. du Plessis 37-ball 72 knock contained a boundary and seven sixes.

Dhoni, however, gave a glimpse of what he was capable of as he hit three consecutive maximus in the last over. But they proved to be ‘too little, too late’ for his team.

Tewatia was the wrecker-in-chief for RR with figures of 3/37 while Tom Curran, Gopal and Archer bagged a wicket each.

Earlier, half-centuries from Sanju Samson (74) and Steve Smith (69) along with Jofra Archer’s (27 not out) late fireworks propelled Rajasthan Royals to a huge 216/7 in 20 overs.

Asked to bat, RR lost their opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (6), who fell to Deepak Chahar in the third over with just 11 runs on board.

The Smith-Samson pair was involved in a crucial 121-run partnership for the second wicket. CSK pacer Lungi Ngidi finally came with a breakthrough as he cut short Samson’s stay in the middle in the 12th over with RR’s scorecard reading 132/2. Samson’s master class was laced with a boundary and nine sixes.

RR then lost David Miller, who failed to open his account, Robin Uthappa (5) and Rahul Tewatia (10) in quick succession as RR were reduced to 167/5 in 16.2 overs.

While trying to switch gears, Smith lost his wicket in the 19th over before Archer began the carnage. The RR skipper’s knock, which came off 47 balls, was decorated with four boundaries and as many hits over the rope.

Ngidi had a forgettable day as he became the main victim of Archer, who carted four consecutive maximums in the final over. Archer’s eight ball 27 was enough to take RR to a massive total.

Tom’s brother Sam Curran was the pick of CSK bowlers with figures of 3/33 while Chahar, Ngidi and Piyush Chawla settled with a wicket each.

Brief scores: RR 216/7 in 20 overs (Samson 74, Smith 69; S Curran 3/33) beat CSK 200/6 in 20 overs (Faf du Plessis 72, Shane Watson 33; Rahul Tewatia 3/37) by 16 runs.

With IANS inputs