KL Rahul, Quinton de Kock scored half-centuries as Lucknow Super Giants produced a clinical chase to beat title holders Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets in an IPL 2024 clash on Friday. Rahul top-scored with 82 while De Kock made 54 as LSG comfortably overhauled the target of 177 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium for their fourth win of the season.
LSG finished at 180/2 with an over to spare.
On a pitch where CSK top-order struggled, LSG openers dazzled with a dominating partnership as they added 134 runs in 14.6 overs to all but seal the fate of the contest.
While Rahul was fluent, De Kock got back into some form with a slow but steady half-century, an innings which will boost his confidence. At one stage, LSG looked in cruise control and a 10-wicket thrashing was on the cards before De Kock’s attempt at gliding a short delivery from Mustafizur Rahman resuled in a faint edge resulting in a low catch from wicketkeeper MS Dhoni.
Rahul looked set to see through the chase but for a blinder from Ravindra Jadeja as he stuck out his left hand for a one-handed catch which was checked and eventually cleared by the TV umpire.
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Earlier, Jadeja came up with a solid unbeaten 57 before Mooen Ali and Dhoni went on a six-hitting spree to power CSK to a competitive 176/6.
Jadeja slammed five fours and a six to anchor the innings after a top and middle-order batting failure but Ali (30 off 20) and Dhoni (28 off 9) swung the momentum back with a late charge after the 16th over to take them to a fighting total.
Opting to bowl, Rahul was spot on with his bowling changes as the pacers put the CSK batters under pressure initially before spinner Krunal Pandya tightened the noose in the middle overs.
But Ali’s three sixes off Ravi Bishnoi (1/44) and Mohsin Khan’s 19th over which yielded 15 overs, including four wides, a six and a four and a 19-run 20th over handed the initiative back to CSK. The last four overs yielded 63.
LSG seamers were on the money from the start as they exploited the conditions to pick up two wickets in the powerplay.
Opener Rachin Ravindra’s (0) aweful run continued as left-arm pacer Mohsin bowled a perfect first delivery to rattle his stumps.
Rahane (36), who opened the innings again, and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (17) looked to steady things with the former pulling LSG debutant Matt Henry for the first six of their innings as 13 came off the over.
Yash Thakur was introduced next in the attack and he justified Rahul’s decision by inducing an outside edge off Gaikwad with a length ball as the captain did the rest.
Rahane, however, carted two fours in the last two balls as CSK accumulated 13 runs in the over. Jadeja, promoted to no. 4, picked a boundary off Henry in the next over as CSK scored 52 for 2 in the first six overs.
Owing to the slowness of the track, LSG skipper immediately introduced spinners Krunal and Bishnoi and the former struck in his second over, cleaning up Rahane.
Shivam Dube had provided the impetus in the middle overs for CSK in this IPL but he failed to fire this time with Marcus Stoinis (1/7) justifying Rahul’s decision to hand over the ball to him, striking in his first ball as the left-handed batter sliced one up in the air.
Krunal then returned to stump impact player Sameer Rizvi, who paid the price for his premeditative dance down the track as CSK lost half their side with 90 on board.
Jadeja, who played some cracking sweep shots, held one end up and completed his fifty with a six off Mohsin to bring out his trademark sword-wielding celebration.
Rahul’s decision to give another over to Bishnoi, however, backfired as Moeen slammed three sixes as 19 came off the 18th over before perishing.
LSG paid the price for a sloppy overrate as Dhoni slammed a four and a six off Mohsin before smashing Thakur for another maximum. He finished the innings with two more fours as 19 came off the last over.
With PTI Inputs
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