Images: Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Yusuf Pathan celebrates taking the wicket of Chennai Super Kings opener Matthew Hayden during the Indian Premier League match in Centurion, on Thursday.

Pathan dealt an early blow when he bowled the Super Kings opener for a single with his first delivery. He finished with impressive figures of two for 17 in three overs.

Riding on Suresh Raina's superb knock of 98, Chennai Super Kings crushed champions Rajasthan Royals by 38 runs.

Chennai Super Kings got their campaign in the T20 event back on track after having registered just one win from five matches before Thursday's clash.

Left-hander Raina smashed 10 boundaries and five sixes in his 55-ball knock to single-handedly guide Chennai to a healthy 164 for five in their 20 overs.

Raina was unlucky to miss out on a century after some confusion with the giant scoreboard in the stadium.

He smashed Munaf Patel for a boundary in the final over of the innings to move to 98 but the scoreboard showed he had reached 100, even as the crowd went ballistic.

Raina, who went for another huge shot off the next ball, was caught by Graeme Smith and missed out on a deserved century.

Chennai fast bowler Albie Morkel (right) celebrates with team-mate Raina after taking wicket of Swapnil Asnodkar.

Asnodkar, batting at number three, was dismissed hit-wicket for 10 when he moved back to play a pull shot off Morkel.

Lakshmipathy Balaji is jubilant after getting the wicket of Yusuf Pathan.

Pathan scored 20 from 13 deliveries, inclusive of three boundaries, before hitting one straight to Raina at mid-off.

Matthew Hayden comes up with a good running catch to dismiss Ravindra Jadeja off Balaji's bowling.

Seamer Balaji then wrapped up the tail to finish with four for 21, the Royals being bowled out in the final over for 126 as Kamran Khan did not come out to bat due to an ankle injury.

The victory moved Chennai into fifth position, three points behind Delhi and the Chargers, while the defending champions slipped to sixth place.