GT vs CSK: Chennai Super Kings confirmed for IPL Playoffs by...

Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer opened up about the possibility of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) reaching the playoffs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Wasim Jaffer said that the Chennai Super Kings would have struggled if they had lost their recent match against the Punjab Kings (PBKS).

Chennai Super Kings registered a 28-run victory against Punjab Kings in the 53rd match of IPL 2024 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala on Sunday, May 5. Following the victory, the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team climbed to third place in the table with 12 points in 11 matches.

Chennai has secured six victories and five losses in the ongoing season. They have a net run rate (NRR) of +0.700. SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) also have 12 points each. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) are in the top two spots with 16 points each.

This Win Would Boost Their Chances - Wasim Jaffer

In a video shared by ESPNcricinfo on X (formerly known as Twitter), Wasim Jaffer stated that the Chennai Super Kings boosted their playoff chances with their recent win. Jaffer expressed confidence that they would secure a top-four spot at the end of the league stage in the IPL 2024.

"Well, I think this win would boost their chances. And I think they will somehow. If they had lost this one, I would have said that they would have struggled. But with this win, I think they will scrape into the top four," Wasim Jaffer told ESPNCricinfo.

The CSK team posted a competitive total of 167/9 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first. Ravindra Jadeja scored 43 runs off 26 balls, including three fours and two sixes. Ruturaj Gaikwad (32) and Daryl Mitchell (30) made notable contributions. Rahul Chahar and Harshal Patel took three wickets each.

Punjab batters struggled to build a partnership on a slow pitch. The home team managed to score just 139 runs for the loss of nine wickets in 20 overs. Ravindra Jadeja excelled with the ball, taking three wickets for 20 runs in four overs. Jadeja was awarded Player of the Match for his all-round display.

Don't Know What He's Doing - Ruturaj Gaikwad

After CSK's victory against PBKS, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad mentioned the slow pitch with low bounce and noted they aimed for a 180+ total but settled for 170. Gaikwad praised Simarjeet Singh's impact with the ball, saying he was very happy for him.

"(Whether the toss matters) It doesn't matter after you win the game but it matters for me. I think everyone believed the wicket was slow with low bounce. With the start we got, we thought of pushing the total over 180 but we lost two quick wickets and that changed our plan," Gaikwad said.

"We were thinking of getting 170. (On Simarjeet) Definitely, I don't know what he's doing. In the pre-season we had, he was clicking 150kph. He didn't get too much of a chance considering our settled attack. We thought of sending an impact batter but I am very happy for him. We were not sure about who's playing and who's not until morning and that makes this win a very special," he continued.