Skipper MS leads from the front with unbeaten 26 off 11 balls and stitches 28-ball 57-run stand with Shivam Dube (43 not out) as CSK earn much-needed five-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants to end five-match losing streak
MS Dhoni en route his 26 not out against LSG yesterday; (right) Shivam Dube in full flow during his unbeaten 43 at Ekana Stadium. Pics/PTI
It required MS Dhoni’s second game as captain to end Chennai Super Kings’ five-match losing streak as he guided his team to a much-needed victory over Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium on Monday night.
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Dhoni did not just handle the team astutely like the leader of yore, he also batted sensibly with Shivam Dube when the match could have gone either way. He, along with Dube, put on a match-clinching 56-run partnership in the last five overs to clinch the issue with five wickets and three balls to spare. It remains to be seen if this win will revive the five-time champions’ fortunes in this edition of the IPL. Dube remained not out on 43 off 37 balls and Dhoni finished unbeaten on 26 off 11.
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Solid start for CSK
After the CSK bowlers had done well to restrict LSG to 166-7, the way openers Rachin Ravindra and debutant Shaik Rasheed provided a fluent start to the chase, it seemed CSK would be home easily. But thereafter spinners Ravi Bishnoi, Digvesh Rathi and Aiden Markram got LSG wickets and also stemmed the flow of runs. Even the promotion of Ravindra Jadeja did not bring CSK the desired results. When Vijay Shankar fell to Dignesh at 111-5 at the end of the 15th over and 56 runs were needed off the last five overs, in walked MSD to a loud cheer from the stands. And the 43-year-old did not disappoint his legion of fans, who cheered every shot before Dube hit the winning boundary off Avesh Khan.
Earlier, when CSK decided to bowl first they were wary of Orange Cap holder Nicholas Pooran, who was in red-hot form, but it was Rishabh Pant (49-ball 63) who did the bulk of the scoring this time.
LSG were in immediate trouble as Aiden Markram and in-form Pooran were back in the hut in the first four overs. Pooran became a victim
of DRS (Dhoni Review System) by the slightest of margins when he was struck on the pad in front of the stumps and the umpire had ruled him not out. Young Anshul Kamboj was delighted to get the big fish in his net.
Mitch Marsh impresses
Mitch Marsh, back in the squad after missing the previous game due to his daughter’s sickness, played his trademark strokes and collected a cool 30 off 25 balls with a couple of fours and as many sixes. But just when he was looking good for a big knock, he was castled by Ravindra Jadeja.
Luckily, Pant was back at his best, playing trademark strokes that only he can. There was a falling sweep shot and also a one-handed six over midwicket. During his 49-ball innings, he hit four sixes and as many fours, before he fell in the final over to Matheesha Pathirana.
Brief scores
LSG 166-7 in 20 overs (R Pant 63, M Marsh 30; R Jadeja 2-24, M Pathirana 2-45) lost to CSK 168-5 in 19.3 overs (S Dube 43*, R Ravindra 37, S Rasheed 27, MS Dhoni 26*; R Bishnoi 2-18) by five wickets
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