Punjab Kings win to eliminate CSK from IPL 2025

Chennai Super Kings’ chances of reaching the Indian Premier League play-offs are over after they were beaten by Punjab Kings despite Sam Curran’s 88.

England all-rounder Curran’s highest IPL score was the backbone of CSK’s 190 all out but Punjab chased their target with two balls to spare even with a late stutter, winning by four wickets.

Shreyas Iyer hit a majestic 72 and opener Prabhsimran Singh 54, leaving only six to get from the last two overs.

Iyer was bowled with nine balls to go and Suryansh Shedge followed for one but Marco Jansen inside edged for four to seal victory.

Five-time champions CSK’s hopes were already effectively over but their fate is now confirmed after an eighth defeat in 10 matches.

Punjab move from fifth to second and are now a point behind leaders Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

The player of the tournament in their 2022 T20 World Cup win, Curran was dropped from England’s white-ball sides at the start of the year meaning he missed the tour of India and the Champions Trophy.

He had made single-figure scores in his three previous appearances in this year’s IPL but on this occasion held together a batting line-up that has struggled throughout the tournament.

The 26-year-old struck nine fours and four sixes against the side that released him last year, targeting the leg-side boundary.

He was caught behind in the 18th over, at the start of a collapse of six wickets in 12 balls including a hat-trick for leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal.

He took four wickets in the penultimate over, MS Dhoni and then Deepak Hooda, Anshul Kamboj and Noor Ahmad in consecutive deliveries.

Rajasthan Royals meet Mumbai Indians in Thursday’s IPL fixture, meaning 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi will have another chance to impress after his century on Monday. (BBC)