Live Report - IPL 2023 - Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings, Guwahati

So, Guwahati's first IPL fixture is a triumph. A mountain of runs, a gripping finale, and if the locals were clearly rooting for Rajasthan, they are unlikely to have gone home disappointed. In fact, three of the last four matches between these teams have been decided by five runs or fewer.

They've climbed up the table into second with two wins from two, just adrift of Gujarat on NRR. And they've got Nathan Ellis to thank for breaking the back of Rajasthan's spirited chase, before a nerveless final over from the million-dollar man Sam Curran sealed the deal. Join us again tomorrow, when Kolkata comes to the IPL party for the first time this season.

In the meantime, here's a sneak preview of Alan Gardner's match report:

These are the moments for which Curran is paid the big bucks... 16 runs to defend, and a stadium on tenterhooks. He chooses to go full for his first two balls, aiming at the stumps first-up, then wide outside off, and three runs is all the Royals can muster. 13 off 4...

Another full length follows, a low full-toss, and there's nothing Hetmyer can do but put his head down and run as the ball is driven to long-off. He wants to get back for the second, but gives up the ghost as the shy comes in. He's gone for 36 from 18, and he gives Jurel a clap of encouragement as he leaves... it's still not done at 12 from 3...

Curran fires his fourth ball past Jurel's bows, eluding his attempted reverse-lap, and though the keeper can't gather, getting him off strike isn't the worst result, seeing as Holder hasn't yet faced a ball... that said, big West Indians and last-over sixes ... 11 off 2 needed.

Curran aims full and straight, a hint of outswing, and Holder can only lean through a drive to long-off. That, barring the yips, is that... 10 off 1. And sure enough, a wipe off the pads for four is too little too late! Punjab Kings win a thriller by five runs!

Dhruv Jurel has just planted his front dog into a massive drive up and over extra cover for another six, before flicking superbly over his shoulder for four ... moments after pulling out of his stance with Arshdeep entering his delivery stride. It's a brave effort on the rope at fine leg, but suddenly, with 19 needed from 9, there's a real chance for Royals! The chaos continues as Hetmyer slams a pull across a full toss ... it should have been another six, instead he's lucky to still be there, as Ellis spoils his night's work with a drop at deep midwicket. Still... another 18-run over... and now the momentum is with Rajasthan...

When the asking rate is pushing past three a ball, sixes are really the only tonic. So Shimron Hetmyer obliges with two vast swipes over the ropes off Sam Curran, the first a slippy full-toss that is unsuccessfully reviewed for a no-ball, and the second a stand-and-deliver smoke over deep midwicket. Curran lobbies for a ball-change, the dew is clearly kicking in, but that's a 19-run over to keep the game just about in reach...

This time, it could be game, set and match. Nathan Ellis is having quite the evening, as he picks up his third with another cross-seamer, similar to the method that did for Sanju Samson. A gleeful drive through the full length turns to horror for Riyan Parag as he gets right underneath his stroke to hole out to long-off.

Ellis is on a hat-trick... and all but snicks the edge of Shimron Hetmyer's bat as it ghosts through to the keeper. But in the end, what he pulls off is arguably even more valuable. A devastatingly tricksy over limits Royals to just three runs from the middle four balls, with Hetmyer unable to pick his slower balls. Then, with Padikkal back in his sights, Ellis fires another cross-seamer into his middle and off stumps.

At 124 for 6 with both set batters gone, the Strategic Timeout is a mere formality, you sense. Ellis concedes a brace of sixes in his final over but still finishes with 4 for 30, including all four of Rajasthan's likeliest threats. He's a shoo-in for the match honours, unless there's a deeply improbable late twist...

Riyan Parag is a big part of the reason why this contest is taking place in Guwahati - he plays for Assam in the Ranji Trophy, and now he's ticking along at close to two a ball ... which, conveniently, is the rate that Rajasthan now need as they enter the make-or-break overs. The first of his two sixes to date was a vast swipe over midwicket off Rahul Chahar, 98 metres into the upper tiers, and with Devdutt Pakkidal picking up his own tempo, this game is not done yet...

Rajasthan reach 89 for 3 at the halfway mark, which leaves them more than handily placed going into the final push, especially as Kings struggled at the death, making just 45 for 3 in their final five. Paddikal hasn't yet got going, on 10 from 15, but Sanju Samson is the man of the moment for Royals. The boundaries have dried up for now, just one off the bat in the four-and-a-bit overs since Buttler's wickets, but Samson is still ticking over at close to two a ball ... oh no he isn't! A cross-seamer from Nathan Ellis lures the big inside-out drive, but he can only scuff his stroke to deep extra cover, and now the chase is looking stiff!

And he's got a point you know. We just had another delay for a potential leg-side wide, which was a dead-ended appeal as the ball flicked the thigh. Either way, it's not exactly the most pressing issue in the game. Even if Jofra Archer had managed to review his first-ball wide in the World Cup Super Over (as he wanted to), we'd still be arguing the toss on that one too!

Huge moment. Buttler was not quite at the races today, despite rattling along to 19 from 11... and his departure is a slightly bizarre one, as he drives loosely at the full length from Nathan Ellis, inside-edges into his front pad, and turns on his heel as the bowler rushes through to grab the catch inches from his crease.

It was a welcome strike for Kings too, as Samson at the other end has found some astonishingly good timing. In addition to his second-ball six, he'd greeted Ellis with back-to-back fours, both laced through the off side. Brar was also dismissed for two fours in a row, and despite shedding wickets, Royals are only six runs adrift of Kings' powerplay score of 63 for 0.

A second wicket for Arshdeep, and now Kings really are in charge of this contest. Ashwin had seen very little of the strike in this powerplay, and after seeing off three dots, he has a swing through the line of his fourth. Dhawan at midwicket backpedals to snaffle with ease, and Arshdeep has 2 for 10 in eight balls ...

... scratch that. Arshdeep now has 2 for 23 from 12 balls, with Samson and Buttler belting a six apiece from his final three balls, both wristily boshed down the ground. It's been a rocky opening gambit from Royals, but they've somehow stayed with the rate.

That could have been a huge, game-cracking breakthrough! Jos Buttler swings across the line against a Sam Curran short ball, but if there is an issue with his hand, it was apparent in that stroke, an unusually limp paddle given the usual proficiency of his wrists, but Brar - rushing in from deep square leg - almost over-runs the chance as it goes begging. One ball later, Buttler gets better hold of a pull out in front of square.

A soft dismissal for Jaiswal, just a waft through the line in Arshdeep's first over, to hole out to cover and hand Punjab Kings an early breakthrough. But lo! Look who emerges at No.3. Buttler's finger was either just a red herring or it's been sufficiently patched up, because he's arrived inside the powerplay to give Royals a lift. His first shot is a pleasingly calibrated drive to the edge of the cover boundary. Timing and placement seem in working order from the outset.

Matthew Short, incidentally, took the catch, though presumably as a standard sub fielder for Rajapaksa, rather than an impact sub, as Kings already had four overseas players in their XI.

Immediate concerns about Rajasthan's gun opener. Buttler took his second excellent catch in that final over, but grimaced as he stood back up, with a glance at his finger too. He hasn't appeared to lead the pursuit of this hefty innings. Instead, it's R Ashwin to play the pinch-hitting role, alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal ... who duly launches Sam Curran for a first-ball six over square leg. Curran, however, responds with his now-established game-smarts, sticking to his full length and conceding just one more run in the over. Battle is joined!

Punjab Kings have posted an imposing 197 for 4, with Shikhar Dhawan turning on the power with an excellent 86 not out from 56. And yet, from 152 for 1 after 15 overs, Rajasthan did exceptionally well to limit Kings to just 45 for 3 in their final five. Dhawan picked off a brace of sweetly timed sixes to keep his own innings ticking, either side of a controversial reviewed wide, which was duly overturned though somehow harshly given how far he had moved across his crease. But Holder closed out the innings with an excellent final over, including the wicket of Shakrukh Khan for 11 from 10. His deck-hitting lengths were the best means to stifle the run-scoring in these conditions. Food for thought for the chase.

Stunning from Ashwin. Just pure deception to the right-hander, bowled around his outside edge, top of off stump by a sneaky tweaker that goes the other way, out of the front of his hand. Rajasthan have kept their spinners operating right into the final five overs, and they've just found enough purchase to put the skids under this big finish.

He's had a tough night of it, but Yuzvendra Chahal strikes in his final over, to end a tidy cameo of 27 from 16 from Jitesh. It's a low full-toss, but it's the dip that does for the batter, as he swings too soon and scuffs a toe-end out into the covers for Parag to pouch a simple take (and give the Guwahati faithful an early reason to cheer his involvement). Kings take their Time Out with 26 balls remaining, and a total well in excess of 200 in their grasp.

It's just the third time that Chahal has conceded more than 50 runs in an IPL innings, and the first time since 2015. He finishes his over, and his match, as Dhruv Jurel enters as the impact sub.

From a run-a-ball 30, to a 36-ball fifty, Shikhar Dhawan is beginning to find his range. First, a flat-batted launch over long-on to put the seal on an 18-run over from Yuzvendra Chahal, fetching the ball from outside off stump with sublime timing. Then, a deft flick over the shoulder to pick off four more through fine leg off Asif, before back-to-back boundaries off Chahal to raise his first fifty as Kings captain. He could have gone one ball later, beaten in flight by the legspinner, who couldn't cling onto a leading edge while running back. But the damage is ongoing.

It is Shikhar's 50th fifty-plus score in the IPL, which puts him behind David Warner (60) and level with Virat Kohli (50).

Jitesh, meanwhile, is purring along on 17 from 11. The stage is set for a monster, should Kings manage to put the hammer down.

So far, Shikhar hasn't had to do much beyond hand over the strike and look on in wonder. With Prabhsimran gone, however, the onus is on him to take up the cudgels, but his first shot in anger has unintended consequences. A lacerating blow back down the pitch off Ashwin pins his new partner Rajapaksa on the right forearm before he can take evasive action. After a lengthy delay for treatment, he has to retire hurt to be replaced by Jitesh. It's not quite two wickets in two overs, but it's the nearest thing as far as RR are concerned.

It needed a cool head to end a hot innings, and Jos Buttler duly obliged. Another swing for the hills from the free-flowing Prabhsimran, but this time Holder's pitch-hitting length gets the better of his intentions. A spiralling leading edge flies down towards long-off, where Buttler hurtles in and clings on in both hands at full stretch. Buttler lies there contemplating his tekkers without much of a show of emotion. Perhaps he's already calibrating how he'll be pacing this chase... either way, an opening gambit of 60 from 34 would be very welcome.

A scamper for two, and a raise of the bat. A maiden IPL fifty for Prabhsimran, but surely not his last on this showing. A power-packed knock containing seven fours and two sixes. Although, there has been a slight dip in Kings' rampant tempo since the powerplay, which also coincided with Rajasthan's much-needed time-out.

Hello, hello ... Dhawan would have been gone by a foot had Ashwin gone through with his non-striker's run-out... and given Rajasthan's current predicament, that probably has to count as their second-best chance of the match so far. The TV cameras cut immediately to Jos Buttler - Ashwin's famous victim back in the day - but he barely even breaks into a grin of recognition.

An early sighting of spin, as R Ashwin enters the attack in the Powerplay, only for Prabhsimran to thump him for consecutive fours in an 11-run over. Maybe the lanky seam of Jason Holder can have a more telling impact... his first ball is hidden out wide, back of a length, but a slower ball on a fuller length gets the treatment once more. Hitting the pitch does, however, seem to be the better option on this deck, and after a relatively tight over, Prabhsimran is lucky to survive a scuffed drive into the covers as Padikkal dives backwards and tips the ball over the bar. That takes Kings to 63 for 0 after the powerplay. Solid.

Our man Suds notes: "Prabhsimran's 45 are joint-most - with Paul Valthaty - for an uncapped Punjab Kings player inside the powerplay in the IPL."

It's official, the margin for error on this ground is miniscule. Too full, get clouted. Too short, and the lighting-quick outfield will do the work for the batter - as Boult discovered in his second over, when Shikhar Dhawan picked him off through square leg and point off consecutive deflections. At the other end, however, Prabhsimran put his foot down against Asif - quite literally, with a smeared four through long-off and a vast dispatch over deep midwicket for a mighty six. Another drive through the covers made it 19 from the over, and the Kings' powerplay is looking very powerful indeed.

Trent Boult opens his account with the clear intention to make the new ball hoop in the humid evening, with a wide and enticing line. But there's not a lot of initial movement, as Prabhsimran makes abundantly clear with a lacerating drive on the up through the covers. So he drags his length back to close out the over with a more into-the-ribs approach.

Asif takes the second over and finds a similar pattern ... in particular as he serves up a length ball for Prabhsimran to swat him imperiously over backward square for six. The early signs are there are oodles of runs to be harvested on this deck.

No changes for Royals, which means that Assam's homegrown hero, Riyan Parag, will get the chance to strut his stuff in front of the Guwahati faithful. Punjab are fielding the same batting XI they used in their first match.

Trent Boult to the broadcaster: “Tremendous start, our form has continued from the last year. New year, guys are excited to come out and deliver. A couple of new faces, the message is that the consistency around the dressing room is same. We appreciate it is a long tournament, nice to get one under our belt. [Secret to his first-over wickets] You’ve probably jinxed it! I am clear in my game plan – pitch it up and try and get early wickets.”

Rajasthan 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Jos Buttler, 3 Devdutt Pakkidal, 4 Sanju Samson (capt, wk), 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 Jason Holder, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 KM Asif, 11 Trent Boult.

Kings 1 Shikhar Dhawan (capt), 2 Prabhsimran Singh (wk), 3 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 4 Sikandar Raza, 5 Jitesh Sharma, 6 Shahrukh Khan, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Harpreet Brar, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Rahul Chahar, 11 Arshdeep Singh

Before we get underway, try out ESPNcricinfo's first AR-based game - just aim and hit the stumps.