Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab, IPL 2018, highlights: CSK beat KXIP, RR through to play-offs

Chennai Super Kings were boosted by a magnificent fifty from Suresh Raina and an attacking cameo from Deepak Chahar as MS Dhoni’s side registered a five-wicket win over Kings XI Punjab. With this loss, R Ashwin’s side have been eliminated from the play-off race. The four teams who have entered the play-offs are Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals. Get highlights of Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab, IPL 2018 match here (LIVESCORECARD | STREAMING INFO) (IPL 2018 FULL COVERAGE)

00:06 hrs IST: That is all from the league stages in the IPL. The tournament now has a one-day break before the first qualifier between CSK and SRH. Bye Bye

23:50 hrs IST: Suresh Raina’s magnificent fifty and MS Dhoni blasts a six to seal the game in style as CSK beat KXIP by five wickets. RR are through to the knock-outs and this will be the play-off schedule. Sunrisers Hyderabad take on Chennai Super Kings in the first qualifier while Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator.

23:38 hrs IST: Brilliant end to the 18th over bowled by Mohit Sharma. MS Dhoni mauls a pull shot to the deep square leg fence and CSK need 23 off 12. This is the ideal scenario where Dhoni can continue his finishing mojo. Even Captain Cool could not have timed this well.

23:28 hrs IST: Deepak Chahar launches Axar Patel over long off for yet another six but in attempting too many shots, he slices another lofted drive to cover. Muted celebrations from Kings XI Punjab as their campaign ends but there will be jubilation in Jaipur.

23:24 hrs IST: Deepak Chahar the rockstar. He blasts two sixes, one a slog sweep over deep mid wicket, another a lofted shot off Ashwin’s carrom ball to long off. He then crashes a square cut to the deep point fence and with a couple, CSK have knocked Kings XI Punjab out of the play-off race. Rajasthan Royals are through

23:19 hrs IST: Only six runs in the 14th over. However, CSK are closing in on the score of 100. If they go past 100, they will knock KXIP out and Rajasthan Royals will be the fourth team in the play-offs.

23:13 hrs IST: Only three runs in the 13th over bowled by Ashwin. The asking rate has gone over 11. One feels that CSK are just content on going past 100 and knock Kings XI Punjab out rather than chasing 154. Or, have they looked into this stat where the team finishing second have won the title after Delhi Daredevils have finished at the bottom?

23:08 hrs IST: These are really strange tactics from MS Dhoni. Deepak Chahar has secured a promotion ahead of the likes of Bravo, Dhoni and Jadeja. Surely, this is not the time for experimentation. Suresh Raina is still hanging in there but the time must come for Dhoni to arrive and finish the job.

23:02 hrs IST: Ashwin strikes with his first ball and Harbhajan’s painful vigil ends. He looked to slog a flighted delivery on middle stump but the ball turns back in and he is hit on the back leg, the umpire gives the batsman his marching orders. CSK need 96 off 59 but importantly, KXIP are 39 runs away from avoiding elimination.

22:54 hrs IST: Andrew Tye concedes just seven runs in his first over, but that was mostly due to two wides. This has been a strange innings from CSK. Are they taking this match too casually?

22:47 hrs IST: Axar Patel is not bowling left-arm spin, he is bowling left-arm darts. Harbhajan gets an inside edge past Rahul and then fails to connect the slog well. The asking rate is mounting for CSK. Maybe, they are targeting just going past 100?

22:43 hrs IST: Harbhajan clobbers a short ball over deep mid wicket after he missed a free-hit from Rajpoot. The Kings XI Punjab pacer has ended his spell with figures of 4-1-19-2.

22:37 hrs IST: Harbhajan Singh slashes a short and wide ball over point for a boundary. Bhajji’s promotion is just because he can accelerate the scoring. However, the plan almost did not work out as Bhajji edged an away swinger off Rajpoot to Finch at second slip who spilled the catch.

22:31 hrs IST: Just what the doctor ordered for Kings XI Punjab. Two wickets in the fifth over. Rajpoot gets Faf du Plessis and Sam Billings. And that’s also a maiden over. Chennai Super Kings are 27/3 after 5 overs. Mohit comes back into the attack.

22:23 hrs IST: Tye gives away two boundaries. Kings XI Punjab in desperate need of wickets. Chennai Super Kings are 27/1 after 4 overs. Rajpoot again.

22:18 hrs IST: Two boundaries for Faf du Plessis. Remember, KXIP need to keep Chennai Super Kings to 100 or below to qualify for the playoffs or else, Rajasthan Royals will take the last spot. Andrew Tye comes into the attack.

22:11 hrs IST: OUT! Just the wicket Kings XI Punjab would have wanted. Mohit Sharma gets the better of Ambati Rayudu. Suresh Raina is at the crease. Chennai Super Kings are 8/1 after 2 overs. Rajpoot to continue.

22:05 hrs IST: Tidy start from pacer Ankit Rajpoot. Chennai Super Kings are 3/0 after the first over. Mohit Sharma comes into the attack.

21:51 hrs IST: Kings XI Punjab are all-out for 153. The equation is now simple for them. They must restrict CSK to under 100 if they are to qualify for the knock-outs. If that does not happen, then Rajasthan Royals become the fourth team to seal their spot in the play-offs.

21:43 hrs IST: Brilliant stuff from Karun Nair as he blasts a four and then mauls a six to fine leg and deep mid wicket to notch up his 10th fifty in IPL. However, Dwayne Bravo has the last laugh as he dismisses him for 50. KXIP have crossed 150 but they will be eyeing a score of over 160

21:37 hrs IST: Fantastic bowling from Lungi Ngidi. Ashwin looks to run down a short ball to third man but misses. Ngidi appeals and he tells Dhoni to take the review as heard a clear edge and on review, the umpire gives Ashwin the marching orders. Two balls later, Ngidi removes Andrew Tye with a full ball that is mistimes to mid off. The South African players ends with 4/10 off four overs. Sensational stuff.

21:31 hrs IST: Two fours and a six by Karun Nair off Shardul Thakur and Kings XI Punjab are motoring on here. Karun Nair is playing a great knock. Can CSK restrict KXIP to under 160? This could be a tricky total to chase.

21:27 hrs IST: Great catch by Sam Billings. Short ball from Shardul Thakur and Axar Patel flat-bats the pull shot, Billings dives forward at deep mid wicket and takes a tumbling catch. Can KXIP reach 150?

21:21 hrs IST: The first round in the battle of the two left-handed bowlers is won by Axar Patel as he lofts his state-mate Ravindra Jadeja over the ropes. Kings XI Punjab are dealing in sixes but the problem is that there are too many dot balls in the middle.

21:18 hrs IST: Karun Nair hits another big six off Dwayne Bravo as Kings XI Punjab cross 100. The West Indies all-rounder concedes 11 runs in his third over but Chennai Super Kings will be determined to stifle the scoring in the death overs, an area where they have struggled slightly in the last couple of matches.

21:12 hrs IST: Karun Nair blasts a six off Jadeja as Kings XI Punjab look to start the death overs on a positive note. However, they do not have the power-hitting batsmen at their disposal.

21:06 hrs IST: Dwayne Bravo has removed the other set batsman, David Miller, with a perfect yorker that hits middle stump. Kings XI Punjab have to once again rebuild from scratch.

21:01 hrs IST: Jadeja strikes with his first ball and it was not such a confident appeal. Flighted delivery on off stump, Tiwary attempts the slog sweep but gets a faint under-edge that is taken by Dhoni. Crucial stand ends.

20:55 hrs IST: The partnership between Miller and Tiwary has gone past fifty and the Bengal batsman brings it up in a streaky way by pulling a short ball from Dwayne Bravo over MS Dhoni’s head for a boundary. After 10 overs, KXIP are 71/3 and they will be eyeing a score in excess of 170.

20:48 hrs IST: Manoj Tiwary is looking good in this important game. He has not had many chances with the bat and he is doing a good job with Miller. CSK need to break this stand if they have to restrict KXIP to a low total.

20:41 hrs IST: Kings XI Punjab are making a move on here. Miller lofts Deepak Chahar over long on for a six while Manoj Tiwary takes full toll of Harbhajan Singh by cutting a short ball past backward point and hammering a six to long on where Ravindra Jadeja can only parry the ball over the ropes.

20:31 hrs IST: The powerplay has ended for Kings XI Punjab and they are 29/3. They face an uphill task on this greenish wicket. Remember, the equation for Kings XI Punjab is that they must win by 53 runs or more to advance to the play-offs.

20:26 hrs IST: David Miller gets going with a neat flick to the deep backward square leg fence. While Ngidi has kept the runs down, Chahar has leaked some runs. However, KXIP need a massive rebuilding job to do.

20:21 hrs IST: Fantastic stuff from Lungi Ngidi. Good length ball and it darts back in off the deck on off stump, Rahul suffers a fatal misjudgment as he shoulders arms and the ball detonates the off stump out of the ground. KXIP are stumbling at 16/3 in four overs and Ngidi has figures of 2-1-1-2.

20:15 hrs IST: Another wicket falls and Kings XI Punjab are making a mess of it. Full ball swinging away outside off, Finch chases after it and the edge is taken at first slip by Suresh Raina at slip. After three overs, KXIP are 15/2 and KL Rahul holds the key.

20:07 hrs IST: Great start for Chennai Super Kings as Lungi Ngidi bowls a short ball on leg stump, Chris Gayle looks to tuck the delivery to fine leg but the ball hits the glove and MS Dhoni takes the catch. Superb stuff from CSK and the Universe Boss of T20s falls for a two-ball duck.

19:38 hrs IST: Here are the playing XIs of both sides

Chennai Super Kings: Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni(w/c), Sam Billings, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Lungi Ngidi

Kings XI Punjab: Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Aaron Finch, David Miller, Karun Nair, Manoj Tiwary, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Mohit Sharma, Ankit Rajpoot

19:34 hrs IST: Chennai Super Kings have won the toss and they will bowl against Kings XI Punjab, who will now be hoping to still be in with a chance to qualify for the play-offs, looking at the way how the Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Daredevils clash is panning out.

19:11 hrs IST: CSK are now getting ready for the warm-ups, no sign of KXIP yet. Unless the result of the DD vs MI game is not clear, we may not have the team come out.

19:08 hrs IST: An update from Pune. No warm-ups so far for either of the teams, CSK and KXIP dugouts looking empty. Perhaps the team led by R Ashwin is praying for a Mumbai Indians loss.

For KXIP, a lot will depend on their opening pair of KL Rahul and Chris Gayle with the bat, and Purple Cap holder Andrew Tye would once again be expected to deliver the goods. However, it is the middle-order that has a left a lot to be desired.

A few surprising decisions, such as sending Axar Patel ahead of Yuvraj Singh and Manoj Tiwary in a steep chase against Mumbai Indians in their previous game, or sending Ashwin at No 3, have backfired.

The contest on Sunday does provide KXIP to conjure up an inspirational performance. But the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium — Chennai Super Kings’ adopted home ground — has proven to be a lucky venue for the MS Dhoni-led team.

Chennai have won four out of five matches at Pune ever since they moved their base here, and one of their famous wins this season includes the eight-wicket hammering of table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) last weekend, in which their run-machine Ambati Rayudu notched up his maiden IPL hundred.