JOIN USChennai Super Kings are first team to be eliminated from IPL 2020
Three-time champions the Chennai Super Kings have been knocked out of the race to secure an IPL play-off berth for the first time in 13 years after the Rajasthan Royals defeated the Mumbai Indians by eight wickets in Abu Dhabi.
The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side had made it to the play-offs in each of the 10 IPL seasons that it was part of since the league started in 2008.
However, CSK endured an inconsistent run in the current season.
Dhoni's men on Sunday notched up an eight-wicket win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday to keep their slim chances alive for a few hours but all hopes ended when RR beat MI later in the day.
The win over RCB took CSK to eight points from 12 matches but they can only achieve a maximum of 12 points if they win their last two games, which won't be enough to seal a place in the play-offs.
In the points table, the Mumbai Indians, the Delhi Capitals and RCB are already on 14 points with the Kolkata Knight Riders at 12 with three games to go, followed by the Kings XI Punjab and RR -- both on 10 points each with three and two matches left.
"We don't really have a chance to make it to the play-offs, leave the mathematical part of it," Dhoni had said after CSK beat RCB on Sunday.
"You have to enjoy the game no matter where you are on the table. If you are not enjoying the cricket, it can become cruel and painful. So I am glad with how the youngsters have responded."
CSK had won back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011, before reclaiming the crown in 2018 following a two-year gap.
They also ended up as runners-up on five occasions. CSK will take on KKR on Thursday in their penultimate game.