Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 42* and three wickets by Simarjeet Singh helped holders the Chennai Super Kings move closer to an IPL playoff spot with a win over the Rajasthan Royals on Sunday.

Five-time champions Chennai restricted Rajasthan to 141-5, a total they overhauled with five wickets and 10 balls to spare in their last home game at MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Chennai moved to 14 points and third place with seven wins in 13 matches. The Sunrisers Hyderabad, also on 14, slipped to fourth, while the Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants remain close with 12 points each.

Rajasthan remain second in the 10-team table led by the Kolkata Knight Riders, who are the only team to have already qualified for the playoffs.

The top four teams will make the playoffs with the final on 26 May in Chennai.

Gaikwad anchored Chennai’s tricky chase as they lost wickets at regular intervals including when Ravindra Jadeja was given out for “obstructing the field”.

Jadeja was sent back by Gaikwad while attempting a second run and he changed direction on the pitch when the throw from wicketkeeper Samson hit his hand and the third umpire ruled him out after an appeal from the opposition.

Gaikwad kept his cool and put on an unbeaten 24-run stand with impact substitute Sameer Rizvi, who hit the winning boundary.

Gaikwad is second in the season batting chart behind the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli (634) with 583 runs including one century and four half-tons.

Gaikwad’s fellow opener Rachin Ravindra, who hit 27, and another New Zealand batsman Daryl Mitchell, who made 22, also contributed.

Earlier disciplined bowling kept Rajasthan down to a below par total on a slow pitch as Simarjeet returned figures of 3-26 and fellow medium-pace bowler Tushar Deshpande took two wickets.

Riyan Parag top-scored for Rajasthan with an unbeaten 47.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made 24, and Jos Buttler, who made 21, started cautiously but the innings suffered from a lack of partnerships.

© Agence France-Presse