Jadeja stars as Chennai Super Kings thrash Punjab Kings to move up to third in IPL

All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja starred with bat and ball as defending champions Chennai Super Kings thrashed Punjab Kings by 28 runs to boost their IPL play-off hopes on Sunday.

Left-hander Jadeja top-scored with 43 off 26 balls to guide Chennai to 167-9 after being invited to bat first in Punjab's adopted home ground of Dharamsala.

Jadeja then returned figures of 3-20 from his four overs of left-arm spin to help restrict Punjab to 139-9 for Chennai's sixth win in 11 matches as they climbed to third in the table. The top four teams will make the play-offs with the final on May 26 in Chennai.

The performance from the veteran Jadeja comes as a welcome sign ahead of the T20 World Cup in June in the West Indies and the US.

Chennai suffered an early blow with Sri Lanka pace bowler Matheesha Pathirana set to return home due to a hamstring injury.

Pathirana, called “Baby Malinga” for his slinging action modelled on former Sri Lanka quick Lasith Malinga, was Chennai's standout bowler and took 13 wickets in six matches.

But medium-pace bowler Tushar Deshpande took on the responsibility in the absence of Pathirana and injured Deepak Chahar as he struck twice in his first over and Punjab's second in the chase.

Deshpande sent Jonny Bairstow, bowled for seven, and then Rilee Rossouw, bowled for a duck, trudging back to the pavilion in the space of four balls.

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