Chennai Super Kings were banished to the bottom of the 2020 Indian Premier League after Rajasthan Royals registered an emphatic seven-wicket victory in Abu Dhabi.

A superb 70 from England star Jos Buttler paved the way for victory for Rajasthan whose slim play-off ambitions were given a new lease of life. The victory lifted Steve Smith and his men to fifth spot in the IPL title, although they might need to win each of their four remaining games to ensure qualification for the play-offs.

Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings’ sorry season went from bad to worse and MS Dhoni and his men are now almost certainly out of contention for a play-off qualification. CSK’s batsmen struggled against spin on a slow track in Abu Dhabi and managed to put up just 125-5 on the board after Dhoni elected to bat first.

Not a single boundary was registered in the eight overs of spin bowled by Rajasthan, with leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal putting in an impressive shift.

The defeat throws up further questions over Chennai’s lack of intent with the bat, and they now run the real risk of missing out on the play-offs for the first time in the franchise’s history.