CHENNAI, MAY 13
Defending champion Chennai Super Kings remained in contention for the playoffs after beating Rajasthan Royals by five wickets in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru also kept alive its qualification hopes with a 47-run victory against Delhi Capitals in the late game.
Chennai prevailed in the low-scoring match thanks to skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad's 41-ball 42 not out in his team's chase.
Pacers Simarjeet Singh and Tushar Deshpande had shared five wickets to restrict Rajasthan to 141-5 on a slow-paced wicket. Chennai chased that down in 18.2 overs, finishing on 145-5, to seal its first win over the Rajasthan Royals in five games.
With its seventh win in 13 games, Chennai climbed to third in the IPL table on 14 points, the same as Sunrisers Hyderabad but ahead on net run-rate.
Rajasthan is still second with 16 points from 12 games after its third straight loss and needs a solitary win in the remaining two games to confirm its last-four spot.
The visitors had won the toss and opted to bat, but didn't make use of the opportunity in the afternoon heat.
Its top-order trio all got starts, but couldn't capitalize for bigger knocks. Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 24 and put on 43 with Jos Buttler (21). Sanju Samson scored a slow 15 off 19 balls and all three batters were out to Singh, who finished with 3-26 in four overs.
Riyan Parag then played a rescuing hand with 47 not out off 35 balls, including three sixes. Dhruv Jurel contributed 28 off 18 to give him company.
Deshpande (2-30) claimed two wickets at the death and prevented Rajasthan from having a slog at the end.
Chasing 142, Chennai was prepared for an attritional game. Gaikwad dropped anchor at one end, while New Zealand duo Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell scored quickly.
Ravindra made 27 off 18 balls, while Mitchell scored 22 off 13, to propel Chennai in the power play.
Rajasthan spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin put on the brakes as boundaries dried up.
Shivam Dube broke the impasse with two fours and a six, scoring 18 off 11 balls, before he holed out.
Ravindra Jadeja was out obstructing the field. He came across Samson's throw while returning from a second run, and was adjudged out.
Impact player Sameer Rizvi then smacked 15 not out off eight balls to help Chennai cross the finish line.
BENGALURU BEATS DELHI
Rajat Patidar's 52 runs off 33 balls paved the way for host Bengaluru's sixth win of the season and helped the team move to fifth spot.
Will Jacks hit a 29-ball 41 as Bengaluru finished with 187-9 in 20 overs after Delhi won the toss and opted to field.
Left-arm medium pacer Yash Dayal then took 3-20 for Bengaluru, while Lockie Ferguson picked up 2-23, as Delhi was dismissed for 140 in 19.1 overs.
Stand-in captain Axar Patel's 57 off 39 went in vain as Bengaluru leaped over Delhi, which can still qualify. Both sides have 12 points from 13 games, with Bengaluru ahead on net run-rate.
Rishabh Pant missed out for Delhi with the captain suspended because of his team's third slow over-rate offence in the previous game against Rajasthan.
Cameron Green scored 32 not out off 24 deliveries earlier for Bengaluru and Virat Kohli hit a brisk 27 off 13 before he was caught behind off Ishant Sharma.
Bengaluru kept losing regular wickets but Green – with one four and two sixes – pushed them to a defendable total.
In Delhi's chase, David Warner was out for his third single-digit score in succession, while Abishek Porel was dismissed for two as Delhi made a poor start.
Jake Fraser-McGurk's 21 off eight balls propped his team up, but fielding was the key difference between the two sides.
While Delhi dropped as many as five catches, Bengaluru made sure to grab its chances.
