The Chennai Super Kings have sealed a play-off berth, with two league games still to be played, after a convincing win over the Rajasthan Royals in their last home-game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
On a slow Chepauk pitch, the Super Kings rethought their plan, after electing to bat first. The change in tactics paid off for them, as the MS Dhoni-led side managed to register a 12-run win over the Royals.
Brendon McCullum was the star performer for the Super Kings with the bat, while all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja seemed to regain lost form by dismissing key Rajasthan batsman on crucial junctures.
Earlier, McCullum, unlike his nature, played a patient innings and Chennai posted a 158-run target on the board, seeing the nature of the pitch it looked like a competitive total.
The New Zealander held the innings together, after losing Dwayne Smith and Suresh Raina cheaply, and finished with a half-century, while battling with Chennai heat and dehydration.
Once McCullum was dismissed, skipper Dhoni and Dwayne Bravo played cameos to ensure that the Super Kings cross 150 runs mark, which initially looked quite unlikely.
The Royals made a steady start of the chase with Ajinkya Rahane and Shane Watson and the match seemed to be going away from Chennai’s clutches. But, the hosts clawed back into the encounter with quick wickets.
Jadeja made all the difference with his left-arm spin and ripped through Rajasthan’s middle-order. He dismissed the liked of Steve Smith, Shane Watson, Karun Nair and Deepak Hooda, while giving away almost nothing.
The Royals lost half of their side for a mere 90, and then the Super Kings wrapped up the encounter with tight overs.
