Steve Smith, Sanju Samson, and Jofra Archer bludgeoned 17 sixes between them as the Rajasthan Royals out-gunned the Chennai Super Kings in Sharjah.

Samson (74), Smith (69) and Archer (27) did the damage for the Royals, with CSK falling 16 runs shorts in their reply.

Samson once again was the man to push the pace early on hitting 74 with a strike rate of more than 230.

Smith was industrious to start before putting on the gas in the late middle over while those around him took a temporary wobble.

Following the Australian’s dismissal, it was then left to Archer to light the blue touch paper in the final over.

Four sixes helped the Royals to 30 off the last, destroying Lungi Ngidi’s figures in the process who had gone for 26 off his previous three.

After the fireworks at the end of the Royals’ innings came something of a malaise in the opening couple of overs for CSK. Just eight came from them, setting the scene for a laboured trudge towards the IPL 2020’s first 200-plus run chase.

Most of the CSK line-up were able to get in but none were able to score with the kind of freedom needed. Faf du Plessis went big in the final overs to finish on 72 off 37, while MS Dhoni took a little time to settle before hitting 29 off 17. Rahul Tewatia picking up 3-37 off his four overs.