Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad led CSK’s fightback with a 44-ball 63 (7×4, 1×6), but Hasaranga’s (4/35) relentless strikes kept the chase in check, restricting them to 176/6. This is CSK’s second successive defeat.
Ravindra Jadeja (32 not out from 22 balls) and MS Dhoni (16; 11b), who came in at No 7, provided late fireworks, but the target proved beyond reach.
Dhoni gave CSK hope with a six and a four in the 19th over, where Tushar Deshpande leaked 19 runs, with Jadeja finishing it off with a six.
However, with 20 needed off the final over, Sandeep Sharma held his nerves to concede just 13 and dismissed Dhoni, courtesy of a stunning catch by Shimron Hetmyer, sealing RR’s win.
Earlier, Nitish Rana’s explosive 81 off 36 balls, laced with 10 fours and five sixes, had set RR on course for a 200-plus total.
However, CSK pulled things back in the final overs, with Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, and Khaleel Ahmed taking two wickets each, limiting RR to 182/9.