- विज्ञापन -
Lucknow: Captain cool’s masterclass brought an end to Chennai’s lean patch as the Super Kings stamped their authority with an invaluable five-wicket win against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday.
Dhoni’s special and Shivam Dube’s composed yet belligerent display in patches ended Chennai’s five-match unbeaten streak. Dhoni stayed unbeaten on 26 from 11 deliveries, with four boundaries and a six while Dube struck 43* from 37 deliveries as CSK emerged triumphant in the final over with three balls to spare
Chennai began the 167-run pursuit with a sizzling opening stand between IPL debutant Shaik Rasheed and Rachin Ravindra. The young Kiwi southpaw set the tone with back-to-back boundaries in the opening over off Shardul Thakur.
Rasheed flexed his boundary-hitting muscles by targeting Akash Deep. The young debutant found his first boundary in the IPL by timing his flick to perfection. With his impeccable timing, he finished the over with back-to-back deliveries to set the tempo of the chase.
The duo went from strength to strength and raised a 52-run opening stand before Rasheed (27) perished against Avesh Khan. The experienced bowler reduced his pace and clocked 125 kph to lure the 20-year-old into committing a mistake and hole it to Nicholas Pooran.
CSK put another roadblock on LSG’s path as Anshul Kambhoj got the big wicket of an in-form Nicholas Pooran for just eight in nine balls. LSG was 23/2 in four overs.
Mitchell Marsh and skipper Rishabh Pant rebuild the innings, with both taking to the attack against the pacers. At the end of six overs, LSG was 42/2 in six overs, with Mitchell (22*) and Rishabh (6*) unbeaten.
LSG reached the 50-run mark in 6.3 overs, thanks to a reverse scoop by Pant that went for a six.
The 50-run stand between the duo ended with Ravindra Jadeja getting Marsh clean bowled for 30 in 25 balls, with two fours and two sixes. LSG was 73/3 in 9.3 overs. At the end of 10 overs, LSG was 78/3, with Ayush Badoni (5*) joining Pant (28*).
Badoni tried to ease off some pressure, hitting Jamie Overton for two successive sixes at the end of the 12th over. LSG reached their 100-run mark in 12.3 overs. A fine stumping from MS Dhoni ended Badoni’s (22 in 17 balls, with a four and two sixes), giving Jadeja his second wicket. LSG was 105/4 in 13.4 .
Pant eased off some pressure, hitting Matheesha Pathirana for two sixes, completing his first IPL 2025 fifty in 42 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes. The 18th over by Pathirana brought 18 runs for LSG.
The next over bowled by Khaleel helped LSG get 16 runs, including a six each by Pant and Samad. LSG reached the 150-run mark in 19 overs.
The final over was somewhat fruitful for CSK as they got Abdul Samad run out for 20 in 11 balls, with two sixes and Dhoni caught Pant (63 in 49 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) off Pathirana’s bowling. LSG ended at 166/7 in their 20 overs, with Pathirana getting Shardul Thakur (6) on the final ball.
