After two consecutive defeats in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), Lucknow Super Giants got their campaign back on track as they defeated Chennai Super Kings by 8 wickets, at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Chasing a target of 177 runs, Lucknow took 19 overs to cross the finish line.
Lucknow skipper KL Rahul set up a foundation for the fourth consecutive match, albeit unlike the three previous occasions, he had the support of Quinton de Kock today. The pair looked composed in the first four overs, accumulating 32 runs, before they changed gears and scored 22 runs off the last couple of overs of the powerplay.
The South African wicketkeeper-batter could have lost his wicket to Ravindra Jadeja in the ninth over, but he was handed a reprieve by Matheesha Pathirana. A couple of overs later, Rahul first brought up his half-century, and then a 100-run opening partnership.
Chennai’s death-overs specialists, Mustafizur Rahman and Matheesha Pathirana, were not as influential in this match as they usually are, although both bowlers picked up a wicket apiece. The former dismissed de Kock in the 15th over, whilst three overs later, the latter got the better of KL Rahul, who missed out on what would have been a well-deserved century, ending up 18 runs shy of the three-figure mark.
By then, however, the balance had completely swung in favour of Lucknow. The hosts required 12 runs off the last couple of overs, but they only needed one as in the penultimate over, Tushar Deshpande conceded 15 runs.
Dhoni’s 9-Ball 28 Got CSK to 176
Earlier, MS Dhoni's quick-fire 28 off nine deliveries after Ravindra Jadeja's unbeaten half-century lifted Chennai Super Kings to 176. Given the chance to bat first, Chennai got off to a poor start as Mohsin Khan struck on the very first ball. He bowled a scrambled seam delivery to Rachin Ravindra and disturbed the stumps to make the crowd roar for him.
CSK had just started to pick up pace after being 7/1 in two overs and were 29/1 after four overs. KL Rahul then made a bowling change and brought on Yash Thakur for Matt Henry (2-0-17-0) and he struck with his second ball to have the CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad for 17.
And much to everyone's surprise, out walked Ravindra Jadeja at number 4. And as soon as the Power-play ended, Krunal Pandya came in the attack and he started with a quiet one, just six runs from the over. Ajinkya Rahane on the other end was going well for CSK at 26 off 16 after the powerplay, despite battling a niggle in the last game in Mumbai, with four fours and a six already.
After a quiet first over, Krunal got the wicket of Rahane, who was setting up nicely with 36 off 23 before swinging across the line for a ball that wasn't so short. The in-form Shivam Dube came out at number 5 and considering his ability to attack against spinner, Rahul was bound to take his prime spinner Pandya out of attack. Just to highlight, Dube had never got out to either Pandya or Ravi Bishnoi in his entire IPL career.
It was hard to say which team was in front, and that was because LSG had removed a set batter, Rahane, after the powerplay, and Jadeja was knocking them at 27 off 18 as Dube was taking his time to tick along. LSG then brought on a fast bowler from one end – Yash Thakur – probably to bowl some short and quick ones to Dube.
After bowling back-to-back overs by spinners against Jadeja and Dube, Rahul brought on pace from both ends. As soon as Marcus Stoinis came in, he bowled an innocuous-looking short delivery at 125.4 km/h, Dube went for the pull and top-edged for a skier which Rahul settled under just in time next to the pitch. Dube got out after scoring three runs from eight deliveries.
Sameer Rizvi came in as an impact substitute for Rahane. CSK were slowing down after the 12 overs and scored 89/4, with the last five overs bringing only 32/2. The visitors were crumbling with five down in 13 overs and a strange wicket fell on Pandya’s ball with Sameer Rizvi dancing miles down the ground for Rahul to affect a stumping. Rizvi lasted all of five balls for just one run and hasn't impressed at all in his maiden IPL season.
Dhoni was shadow-batting in the dressing room with three bats next to him. Moeen Ali joined Jadeja who was making CSK tick along. He was on 33 off 24. CSK were 93/5 after 13 overs. After 15 overs, CSK were 113/5, and with two left-hand batters out there: Jadeja and Moeen.
Bishnoi came back to bowl his last over of the spell which he later ended with the figure of 1-44 was taken down by Moeen Ali for three back-to-back sixes in the 18th over. Two on the leg side and one over long-off before he holed out to deep midwicket. But he departed after scoring 30 from 20 deliveries. CSK were 142 for 6 after 18 overs.
In came Dhoni and kicked off with a one-bounce four through extra cover, a most un-Dhoni-like six over the keeper's head after walking across the stumps as Mohsin was bowling very wide of the crease. CSK were 157 for 6 after 19, with 15 from the 19th over.
The 19-run last over from Yash Thakur propelled CSK to 176 for 6 after Dhoni powered his way for 16 runs in the last four deliveries after just three runs came from the first two. Jadeja remained unbeaten on 57 in 40 deliveries with Dhoni scoring 28 in just nine deliveries.
For LSG, Pandya struck twice and Mohsin, Yash, Ravi and Stoinis claimed a wicket each.
(With inputs from IANS)