Rajasthan near play-offs in IPL

Skipper Sanju Samson hit an unbeaten 71 as Rajasthan Royals all but confirmed their play-off spot with a seven-wicket hammering of Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday.

The hosts Lucknow posted 196-5 courtesy a 76 by skipper KL Rahul and his 115-run stand with Deepak Hooda, who made 50.

Lucknow lost two early wickets after New Zealand's left-arm quick Trent Boult bowled Quinton de Kock for eight and Sandeep Sharma bowled Marcus Stoinis for a duck.

Rahul and Hooda steadied the innings and then hit back but the effort was not enough as Dhruv Jurel, who hit 52, and Samson steered table-toppers Rajasthan home with one over to spare for their eighth win in nine matches.

Top four teams will qualify for the play-offs.

In the day's first match, Australia's Jake Fraser-McGurk smashed 84 off 27 deliveries to fire Delhi Capitals to 257-4 and a 10-run win over Mumbai Indians in another IPL high-scorer.