Kings XI Punjab failed to reach the Indian Premier League playoffs after being defeated by the Chennai Super Kings by five wickets on Sunday.

This means that Rajasthan Royals became the fourth team to make the cutoff after Mumbai Indians’ defeat earlier on Sunday.


12.10 am: That’s it from us tonight. Join us again on Tuesday at around 6 pm for Qualifier 1 between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings. Remember, the playoff matc

Dhoni: “We have a set of people who are very close to the players and that makes it very easy for the captain. Also we have a really good team. Right from the first edition, we kept adding players and they kept performing – Ashwin, Bollinger, Mohit. The big challenge will be in two years when most of the players won’t be around. We like to get the process right because that’s what gives you the results. I remember the finals, where it went wrong: you need to remember where it went wrong. On that particular day you have to be at the best because everyone wants to win. All of those things matter.”

Ashwin: “We started off pretty poorly, losing three wickets in the Powerplay. Karun played well, but we finished well short. We have had a horrible May. Never really got things together. The middle order struggled. We have had some great performers, the supporting performances didn’t happen. We have been pretty sloppy. The defeat against RCB cost us a lot.”

11.53 pm: Here are the top four teams that have made it to the playoffs. The Sunrisers head into the first qualifier with the poorest form out of the four. KKR, meanwhile, have the best momentum.

11.50 pm: Chennai Super Kings aren’t the only team celebrating right now.

CSK 159/5 in 19.1 overs

Dhoni ends it with a six! Pulls a short one from Mohit Sharma over deep square-leg! Incredible stuff! At one point it looked as if they just wanted to make enough runs to confirm second spot, but they have somehow managed to win with five balls to spare! CSK win by five wickets.

CSK 153/5 in 19 overs

Suresh Raina brings up his half-century with two sixes that just about clear the rope to begin the penultimate over bowled by Tye. The first one is pulled to deep mid-wicket and the second clears long-on. Raina then profits from a misfield from extra cover and gets four more! It’s not over as Raina manages to clear short fine leg with a pull and finds the boundary to level the scores! He ends the over with a textbook forward defence shot!

CSK need one run from the final over.

CSK 131/5 in 18 overs

Mohit Sharma is back for his final over and does really well, but for the final ball which is short and straight and Dhoni pulls it for four. CSK need 23 runs from the last two overs.

CSK 120/5 in 17 overs – Chahar departs

Ashwin ends Chahar’s cameo at 39 off 20 balls with a carrom ball. Chahar goes for a slog but mistimes it and gives a simple high catch. There is a huge roar as MS Dhoni walks out at No 7, even as Ashwin completes his quota with figures of 2/36. CSK need 34 from the last three overs.

CSK 114/4 in 16 overs

Axar is back for his final over, even as Chahar continues with his brilliant cameo. He clubs the spinner down the ground for six, easily clearing the boundary. Are CSK going for the win? Don’t rule them out yet!

CSK 102/4 in 15 overs

Ashwin is back for his third over, and Deepak Chahar decides to step on the gas. First, he sweeps the off spinner for a six before clubbing one over long off for another maximum! Chahar then chops a short and wide one over cover for another boundary to put the playoffs beyond Punjab’s reach! Congratulations, Rajasthan Royals! You are through to the playoffs!

CSK 81/4 in 14 overs

Axar Patel comes back for his third over. Chahar almost hits him to long-off but the ball falls just short of Mohit Sharma, who does really well to stop it.

Meanwhile, it looks like none of the top five wicket-takers this season will make the playoffs. Only Andrew Tye still has a chance.

CSK 75/4 in 13 overs

Ashwin comes back for a second over and again does really well, restricting CSK to just three runs. Again makes you wonder why he did not come on earlier. Time for the second timeout. Kings XI have just another 24 runs to play with and need six more wickets.

CSK 72/4 in 12 overs

Andrew Tye is back for his third over and gives away eight runs. CSK aren’t going for the win, it would seem. They need just 78 to confirm second place. Kings XI are losing the race to bowl them out for under 100.

CSK 64/4 in 11 overs

Still no MS Dhoni for CSK and neither is it Bravo at No 6, but Deepak Chahar! Another pinch hitter! What are they playing at?! Ashwin completes a great first over – six runs and a wicket.

CSK 58/4 in 10.1 overs – Harbhajan’s cameo over

Ashwin finally decides to have a bowl himself and he strikes straight away! Harbhajan goes for another slog and misses. That was going to hit middle. Plumb!

CSK 58/3 in 10 overs

Axar comes back for a second over as Harbhajan continues to swing and miss most. Still no Ashwin in the attack as we reach the halfway stage of the innings.

CSK 52/3 in 9 overs

Andrew Tye comes back for a second over and, for some reason, continues to bowl many slow balls in spite of the fact that this pitch is offering a lot of purchase to the quicker deliveries. The 50 is up for CSK in the ninth over as we enter the first timeout of the innings.

CSK 45/3 in 8 overs

Axar Patel comes into the attack, even as Harbhajan gets the bottom edge off an attempted sweep that beats the keeper and runs down for four. His promotion has already been a success, IMO.

CSK 40/3 in 7 overs

Ankit Rajpoot is back for his final over. Harbhajan continues to swing as hard and, after a few misses, connects a slash over extra cover for six! No other runs off the bat in that over. Rajpoot finishes off with 2/19. Brilliant stuff!

CSK 33/3 in 6 overs

Mohit Sharma comes back for his second over. He gives Harbhajan some room and the pinch hitter obliges, swinging his arms and slashing it for four. Still an excellent Powerplay for Kings XI! They are still in this.

CSK 27/3 in 5 overs

Rajpoot does not get the hat-trick but he could have had three in four balls but Aaron Finch spills Harbhajan in the slips! Oooof! Kings XI are on top in Pune! Who would’ve thought!

CSK 27/3 in 4.4 overs – Billings gone for golden duck

Two in two for Rajpoot! What a jaffer! Pitches on length, holds it line, beats Sam Billings’ outside and takes out off stump! Are we witnessing a turnaround here? CSK send in Harbhajan Singh at No 5! What is happening?!

CSK 27/2 in 4.3 overs – Du Plessis falls

Rajpoot gets Du Plessis’s edge that goes flying towards Gayle at first slip, who dives to his left and pouches it but isn’t sure whether it’s a clean catch! Give him the Fairplay award! Soft signal is out and replays show it is indeed a clean catch!

CSK 27/1 in 4 overs

Andrew Tye is asked to bowl the fourth over and Suresh Raina cuts his short and wide delivery for four, before hitting another boundary straight down the ground. Almost gets another one through the covers but Tiwary fields well to stop it.

CSK 17/1 in 3 overs

Ankit Rajpoot is back and he’s got two slips. However, Du Plessis manages to guide him wide of the two fielders for four down to third man! Du Plessis gets another boundary off the last ball of the over after walking down the pitch to negate the swing.

Meanwhile...

CSK 8/1 in 2 overs

Mohit Sharma completes an excellent first over. Just one lucky boundary for Faf du Plessis off the final ball of the over. Kings XI are pumped up. They aren’t giving up so easily!

CSK 3/1 in 1.2 overs – Rayudu gone!

Mohit Sharma comes in from the opposite end and continues with the plan – bowl straight and just short of length – and it works! Ambati Rayudu nicks to Rahul who snaps it up!

CSK 3/0 in 1 over

Ankit Rajpoot opens the bowling for Punjab and does really well. He kept it straight and on length mostly, with a couple of short ones that angled away from the right-handed batters.

9.50 pm: Can Kings XI bowl out the Chennai Super Kings for under 100? Aakash Chopra does not think so.

KXIP 153 in 19.4 overs

Shardul Thakur bowls the final over of the innings and gets the last wicket as Rajpoot holes out to deep midwicket, where Faf du Plessis takes a catch right on the edge of the boundary. KXIP bowled out for 153. Will that be enough? I doubt it. Remember, KXIP need to restrict CSK to 100 or below to make the playoffs.

KXIP 151/9 in 19 overs – Karun falls after quick-fire 50

Karun Nair plays an awkward reverse sweepish hit but finds the boundary off Bravo! Cannot describe that shot! Karun then plays an orthodox sweep for six before clubbing Bravo over long on for another maximum! That brings up Karun’s 50 off just 25 balls! What batting! However, Bravo gets him with a yorker next ball as Karun holes out to mid off! Karun is livid with himself but has to walk back after 54 off 26 balls. The 150 is up, though, for KXIP.

KXIP 134/8 in 18 overs

Ngidi ends his quota of four over with figures of 4/10. Magnificent bowling from the South African!

KXIP 132/8 in 17.3 overs – Tye falls as well

Ngidi gets another one in the over as Andrew Tye hits him straight to Raina at mid off. Meanwhile, replays show it was Ngidi who told Dhoni that he had heard and edge. Dhoni decided to go for it even though he indicated he hadn’t heard anything.

KXIP 132/7 in 17.1 overs – Ashwin departs

Ngidi finds Ashwin’s faint edge, which the umpire missed but Dhoni didn’t! The CSK captain immediately went for a review after the umpire ruled not out, and Ultra Edge confirmed a faint nick!

KXIP 131/6 in 17 overs

Karun Nair is playing some beautiful shots! He lofts Shardul over extra cover for four, before pulling him mightily for six, and then even gets an outside edge for four off the last ball!

KXIP 116/6 in 16.3 overs – Axar gone

Shardul Thakur comes back for a third over. Axar Patel pulls his short delivery towards deep midwicket, where Sam Billings dives forward to take a brilliant catch! Kings XI now in danger of getting bowled out.

KXIP 113/5 in 16 overs

Jadeja is back for his third straight over. Axar Patel gives himself room and thwacks him inside-out over long off for a six! They need many more such shots, do Kings XI. It’s time for the second timeout.

KXIP 102/5 in 15 overs

Bravo’s back for a third over and Karun Nair lofts him over long off for six off the first ball! Again, sweet timing! Beautiful shot to watch. The 100 comes up for Punjab in the 15th over. They need at least 150-155 on the board if they want to stand even a remote chance of making the playoffs.

KXIP 91/5 in 14 overs

Jadeja is back for a second over, and Karun Nair sweeps him for six! What sweet timing! But for that delivery, it’s another good over from Jadeja.

KXIP 82/5 in 13 overs

Bravo almost gets Axar Patel in the same over but the ball just finds the gap between the left-hander’s bat and pad. Brilliant over! Two runs and a wicket.

KXIP 80/5 in 12.1 overs – Bravo gets Miller!

Bravo is back for a second and he cleans up David Miller with a yorker! That, I’m afraid, is the end of Punjab’s faint hopes of making the playoffs.

KXIP 80/4 in 12 overs

Jadeja completes an excellent first over – four runs and a wicket! Karun Nair is the new batsman for KXIP.

KXIP 76/4 in 11.1 overs – Jadeja gets Tiwary

Jadeja finally comes in to bowl and gets a wicket first ball! Tiwary tries to slog him but the ball finds his bottom edge, which Dhoni snaps up behind the sticks! Tiwary’s gone after a useful 35 off 30 balls.

KXIP 76/3 in 11 overs

Shardul Thakur is back for a second over and almost gets the wicket off Miller, whose hook falls just beyond fine leg’s reach. Just five runs come from the over.

KXIP 71/3 in 10 overs

Dwayne Bravo comes in for a bowl, even as Miller and Tiwary bring up their 50-partnership. What a crucial stand this has been. They need to go on, though. Convert it into three figures. One boundary from the over, off Tiwary’s top edge. Ten runs come from the over.

KXIP 61/3 in 9 overs

Shardul Thakur replaces Deepak Chahar and strays down the leg against Tiwary, who flicks him to the deep square-leg boundary. He’s beginning to look in good touch after initially struggling. And it’s time for the first timeout.

KXIP 52/3 in 8 overs

CSK introduce spin into the attack in the form of Harbhajan. Manoj Tiwary cuts him for four first ball and then just about manages to clear Jadeja at long on! Jadeja jumps and gets his fingertips to the ball but cannot hold on. The fifty comes up for Kings XI.

KXIP 39/3 in 7 overs

Deepak Chahar is asked to bowl his fourth straight over and complete his quota. He does really well but for the final delivery, which is adjudged a no ball after bouncing over Miller’s head. Miller lofts the free hit into the stands behind long off. Welcome boundary for KXIP. Chahar ends his spell with 1/30.

KXIP 29/3 in 6 overs

Ngidi also gets a third straight over on a spicy pitch in Pune. He’s enjoying bowling on it. At the end of the Powerplay, KXIP are struggling at 29/3. One of the worst Powerplays they have had this season.

KXIP 23/3 in 5 overs

David Miller walks in at No 5. The last time he played this season was on April 23. He will be a bit rusty but manages to get a boundary with a flick off the legs. Chahar does well otherwise in his third straight over.

KXIP 16/3 in 4 overs – KL Rahul departs as well!

Ngidi also gets a second over and bowls it brilliantly once again! Some unplayable deliveries there that went whizzing past the edge of the batters, before an absolute jaffer cuts into KL Rahul and takes the top of his off stump. He did not offer a shot! Rahul’s gone for just 7. You better believe it!

KXIP 15/2 in 3 overs – Finch falls early too!

Chahar is back for a second over and he squares Aaron Finch up, who edges towards Raina in the slips. Raina has to dive and does it brilliantly, plucking the catch out of thin air! Kings XI in a bit of trouble!

KXIP 8/1 in 2 overs

Ngidi completes a brilliant first over. One run and a wicket! First blood for CSK.

KXIP 7/1 in 1.2 overs – Gayle gone

Lungi Ngidi bowls the second over and bowls one angling away from Chris Gayle down the leg, and the big man gets a faint nick on it. CSK appeal, the umpire isn’t sure, but Gayle walks! Can you believe it?! Huge wicket for CSK.

KXIP 7/0 in 1 over

Deepak Chahar bowls the first over for CSK. KL Rahul cracks a glorious cover drive off the fourth ball for a boundary. Watchful start by the opener otherwise.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians are out of playoffs contention after losing to Delhi Daredevils by 11 runs! This means, remember, that KXIP need to beat CSK by 53 runs or more to sneak through to the playoffs.

7.55 pm: Mumbai need 18 runs off the last over against Delhi to qualify for the playoffs and knock Punjab out. Tension!

7.45 pm: Breaking news – David Miller has finally been brought into the KXIP playing XI.

Here are the two teams:

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

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

7.40 pm: While we await the team news, KXIP have been dealt a blow by losing the toss. They now need to beat CSK by 53 runs to qualify for the playoffs, assuming of course that Mumbai Indians lose (which looks likely). KXIP would have preferred to chase and know what their target is.

7.30 pm: CSK captain MS Dhoni has won the toss in Pune and has opted to bowl first against Punjab.

7.18 pm: While Chennai are guaranteed a berth in the playoffs, Punjab need a huge win on Sunday, along with a favour from Delhi Daredevils. If Mumbai Indians beat DD, KXIP cannot go through regardless of the result of the match against CSK.

Kings XI have had a dreadful second half of the season, losing six of their last seven matches. Even if they do not qualify for the playoffs, a win to end the season would do their confidence some good. Maybe.

07:15 pm: Hello and welcome to the final league match of the 11th edition of Indian premier league. It’s Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab in Pune.