MS Dhoni (R) shakes hand with Kagiso Rabada at the end of play at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday. AFP

Jadeja scored 43 runs off 26 balls to anchor Chennai’s innings to 167-9 and then took 3-20 in four overs to help restrict Punjab's chase to 139-9. It was only Chennai’s second win in the last five games, and also ended its five-match losing streak against Punjab.

Put into bat, Chennai lost Ajinkya Rahane (9) early. Ruturaj Gaikwad (32) and Daryl Mitchell (30) put on 57 off 32 balls for the second wicket.

Wrist spinner Rahul Chahar then took 3-23 in four overs to restrict the visiting side. He dismissed Gaikwad and then big-hitting Shivam Dube for a golden duck.

Sam Curran dismissed Moeen Ali for 17 as Chennai was reduced to 101-5 in 12.4 overs. Jadeja guided Chennai to a challenging total on a two-paced wicket. He hit three fours and two sixes, while Harshal Patel’s death spell didn’t allow excess run-scoring. MS Dhoni batted at No. 9 - for the first time - and Patel bowled him for a golden duck.

In reply, Punjab’s top order crumbled. Tushar Deshpande dismissed Jonny Bairstow (7) and Rilee Rossouw for a three-ball duck in the space of four balls.

Impact player Prabhsimran Singh scored 30 off 23 balls, and along with Shashank Singh’s 20-ball 27 helped rebuild the innings from 9-2. Jadeja didn’t allow the middle order to get away, sending back Singh as well as Curran (7).

Pacer Simarjeet Singh came on as impact sub and took 2-16 in three overs as Punjab’s chase never looked a threat. Shardul Thakur and Mitchell Santner took a wicket each. Despite missing key bowlers, Chennai put in an all-round bowling performance to restrict the hosts.

Chennai moved up to third with 12 points, ahead of Lucknow Super Giants and Sunrisers Hyderabad on net run-rate. Punjab’s hopes of qualification took a blow. It's eighth in the 10-team league with eight points.

Lucknow hosts Kolkata Knight Riders in the second game on Sunday.

Associated Press