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IPL: Suresh Raina secures Gujarat Lions play-off spot

Gujarat Lions will contest the Indian Premier League play-offs after Suresh Raina's fifty enabled them to chase down Mumbai Indians.

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Suresh Raina's half-century helped Gujarat Lions clinch a spot in the Indian Premier League play-offs with a six-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in Kanpur.

Raina plundered 10 boundaries on his way to 58 off 36 balls, spearheading Gujarat's successful chase of 173 to move to the top of the table and secure a top-two finish.

Mumbai's total of 172-8 was largely thanks to the work of Nitish Rana, but his 70 off 36 deliveries proved in vain as the low order struggled to add runs.

Rohit Sharma started positively for the Indians, but he was removed for 30 by Dhawal Kulkarni (2-41) in the fourth over, and Martin Guptill (7) and Krunal Pandya (4) quickly followed.

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Rana got Mumbai back on track, smashing four maximums before he was caught at deep square leg off Dwayne Bravo (2-22) in the 17th over.

Jos Buttler (33) had provided capable support until he was caught and bowled by Bravo, while a pair of wickets for Praveen Kumar (2-24) in the final over kept the Indians below 180.

The Lions suffered an early blow with Aaron Finch trapped leg before by Vinay Kumar (2-17) second ball, the seamer claiming his 100th IPL wicket with a wicket maiden.

Finch's exit paved the way for Raina to enter, and he provided a signal of intent by hitting Mitchell McClenaghan (0-38) for 18 runs - three boundaries and a maximum - in the third over.

Raina and Brendon McCullum (48) took the match by the scruff of the neck and mounted a partnership worth 95 runs before the former New Zealand captain was bowled by Harbhajan Singh (1-36).

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The Gujarat captain went to Jasprit Bumrah (1-42), but Dwayne Smith (37) ensured the momentum was not lost with Ravindra Jadeja (21) completing the victory with a single with 13 balls remaining.

Mumbai require Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils to lose by margins that send their net run-rates below that of the 2015 champions on Sunday.

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