Simarjeet sting

CSK’s Simarjeet Singh is ecstatic after dismissing RR skipper Sanju Samson in Chennai yesterday. Pic/PTI

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) stayed in contention for a place in the IPL Playoffs with a five-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) after pacer Simarjeet Singh exemplified the home team's discipline with the ball with career-best figures of 3-26 here on Sunday.

Unusual dismissal

In a low-scoring match which had its share of drama with Ravindra Jadeja being given out for obstructing the field, CSK chased down a target of 142 with 10 balls to spare on a tricky surface.

Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was the star for CSK with the bat, remaining unbeaten on a 41-ball 42.

Rachin Ravindra (27 off 18 balls) and Gaikwad managed a 32-run stand before the former was dismissed by Ravichandran Ashwin in the fourth over.

However, that did not have any impact on Gaikwad and Daryl Mitchell (22 off 13 balls) as they maintained a run-rate of over nine and ended the Powerplay at 56 for one.

Rookie Sameer Rizvi hit an eight-ball 15 not out with three fours to end the game in a jiffy after Jadeja became the third batter in IPL history to be adjudged out for obstructing the field after a miscommunication with Gaikwad, who refused to go for a second run even as the all-rounder was halfway down the pitch.

The third man hurled it to Sanju Samson, who aimed the ball at the bowler's end, but the throw hit Jadeja. RR appealed, and the third umpire was convinced that Jadeja knew in which direction the ball was heading.

CSK needed 21 off the final four overs, and the duo of Gaikwad and Rizvi got the job done.

The win took CSK to third place on the points table, while RR suffered its third straight defeat but remained in second position.

Earlier, Simarjeet dished out his best performance in the IPL while helping CSK restrict RR to a modest total. Man of the match Simarjeet, who had been out of action for more than a year before this IPL, thanked CSK management for taking good care of him. "I am very thankful to the CSK management, the physio and my trainer to treat me the way they did when I was injured. It is a blessing."

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For the visitors, the in-form Riyan Parag top-scored with a 35-ball unbeaten 47 on a slow wicket.

Cautious start by RR

Opting to bat, the RR openers were off to a cautious start. After RR ended the powerplay at 42 for no loss, the 26-year-old Simarjeet made the first breakthrough in the seventh over, getting rid of Jaiswal (24 runs off 21 balls).

Simarjeet came up with the second breakthrough in the ninth over, with Jos Buttler (21 off 25 balls) departing.

Samson failed to get going, and it was Simarjeet again who grabbed the prized wicket of the RR skipper, ending his 42-run partnership with Parag.

Deshpande, bowling the final over, got rid of Jurel and Shubham Dubey (0 off 1 ball) in consecutive deliveries. Eventually, the visitors didn't get enough total on the board.

50
No. of IPL wins for CSK at Chepauk

Brief scores
RR 141-5 in 20 overs (R Parag 47'; S Singh 3-26, T Deshpande 2-30) lost to CSK 145-5 in 18.2 overs (R Gaikwad 42'; R Ashwin 2-35) by five wickets

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