Right then, that brings the curtains down on another high-stakes clash! Chennai Super Kings have officially been knocked out of the tournament, and from here on, it’s only pride they’ll be playing for. Punjab Kings, on the other hand, leap to second place on the points table and have a real shot at locking in a top-two finish. Up next, we usher in a brand-new month with a blockbuster clash in the Indian Premier League! On May 1st, 2025, Thursday, it's Match 50 at the iconic Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, where the Rajasthan Royals take on the Mumbai Indians in a high-stakes encounter with two crucial points up for grabs. The action kicks off at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but as always, don’t miss a moment of the pre-match buzz and tune in early for all the build-up. Until then, it's goodbye and cheers.

Shreyas Iyer, the victorious skipper of the Punjab Kings, is also the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his outstanding knock of 72 runs in 41 balls. Shreyas says he loves chasing and thrives for big totals and looks to build momentum for the next batters to come in, and backs his instincts. On his away record, he says he is just enjoying while staying in the present and just reacts to the ball and doesn't want to jinx it. Mentions that he bats a lot in the nets and faces quick bowlers with the new ball, which gives him a lot of confidence, and he keeps his attitude high, which all just shows in the field. Says fielding was very draining with the heat and humidity. Further talks about the chat with Ricky Ponting in the middle overs, where they decided not to leave it too late because CSK had some quality death bowlers. Concludes that he watched out for a few balls to assess the conditions and lauds the openers for the way they are just going out and expressing themselves. 

It's time for the Presentation Ceremony ...

Prabhsimran Singh of Punjab Kings is up for a quick chat too. He talks about his partnership with Priyansh Arya and says they both are batting well, and the wicket was a bit slow at the start, so Arya was taking his time, and thus, he became the aggressor. States that they had been told in the camps before the tournament that they both would open the inning, and they bonded well from that camp only, and they even played practice matches together. Mentions that he had a belief when he was batting with Shreyas Iyer, as he knew that Iyer would hit the boundary if he had missed it, and vice versa. Tells that he just wants to score runs, which should be in the winning cause, even if they are 35-40s and not 70-80s. Further adds that he gives full credit for this winning form of the team to the coach, Ricky Ponting, and he is open to talking to anybody in the team who has kept a good vibe in the team. Says that they are eyeing the trophy because it has been a long time, and they want to win it.

MS Dhoni, the captain of Chennai Super Kings, is down for a chat. MS says that for the first time, they put the runs on the board, but he still thinks they were 10-15 runs short. Adds that the partnership between Brevis and Sam was brilliant. But they need to take some catches that slow down the momentum. Mentions that they lost too many wickets towards the end, and they didn't play the 20 overs as there were still four balls remaining. In the 19th over, they lost four wickets, which is another four dot balls and in a close game, that proves to be the difference. Says that Curran is a fighter, but whenever they played him earlier this season, the wickets were a bit slow, but this one was a good one. Tells that Brevis brings in the momentum in the middle order, and he is a great fielder as well. Ends by saying that he is very happy with him and can be an asset going forward.

Earlier in the game, CSK endured yet another rocky start, losing three quick wickets inside the Powerplay. But amidst the early chaos, Sam Curran emerged as the stabilising force, showcasing a perfect blend of calculated aggression and composure. He first forged a crucial 78-run stand with Dewald Brevis, followed by a vital 46-run partnership with Shivam Dube, dragging CSK out of early trouble and laying the foundation for a strong total. However, just as CSK looked set to push past 200, they lost Curran for 88 runs and then were stunned by spin wizard Yuzvendra Chahal, who turned the game on its head with a hat-trick in the penultimate over - that saw him finish with four wickets in a single over. Punjab Kings wrapped up the CSK innings for 190, with four balls still to spare, ending the innings on a massive high, which eventually proved to be the difference.

For Chennai Super Kings, it was a rare bright spot with the bat, especially considering the struggles they've faced this season. But their bowling let them down in defence. The lack of discipline was glaring, and only three overs in the entire innings of PBKS went boundary-less, painting a clear picture of both poor execution from the bowlers and clinical dominance by the Punjab batters. In a must-win game, CSK simply couldn’t bring the fire with the ball.

Though Prabhsimran Singh was dismissed by Noor Ahmad after reaching his half-century, it was Shreyas Iyer who truly lit up the chase. Taking full charge, he reached his fifty in style and launched a relentless assault, dismantling CSK’s bowling attack and ensuring the chase never went off track. Even though he and a couple of others fell near the end, the job was virtually done. All that was left was the finishing touch, a streaky edge from Jansen, but it was enough to seal the deal in Punjab’s favour.

Chasing a stiff target, Punjab Kings turned once again to their trusted opening pair, and they delivered. Priyansh Arya came out blazing, while Prabhsimran Singh took his time to settle in. Together, they stitched a fluent 44-run opening stand before Khaleel Ahmed struck within the Powerplay, doing what he does best - breaking partnerships early. But the dismissal didn’t derail Punjab. In walked Shreyas Iyer, cool as ever, and he immediately clicked into rhythm. Alongside Prabhsimran, he kept the scoreboard ticking, countering spin from both ends with measured aggression, guiding PBKS to 88/1 at the halfway mark.

Not the most convincing finish from Punjab Kings, with a few unnecessary hiccups towards the end, but they still got the job done, storming home to a clinical 4-wicket win. The two crucial points not only revive their playoff push but also propel them to second on the table with 13 points, firmly back in contention for those top two spots. Meanwhile, it’s curtains down for Chennai Super Kings, who have been teetering on the edge for a while now. With this defeat, they become the first team to be officially eliminated from the tournament. A bitter ending to a disappointing season, made even more painful by the fact that it came in front of their home crowd at Chepauk. The roar of the Yellow Army falls silent as CSK's campaign ends in heartbreak.

Marco Jansen walks out to bat with Punjab Kings needing just one run to win.

Suryansh Shedge comes out to the middle now.