Openers KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock, who made classy fifties on a slow pitch, produced a chasing masterclass to lead Lucknow Super Giants to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings in their IPL 2024 match at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Friday. Asked to bat first, Ravindra Jadeja produced a solid unbeaten 57 before Mooen Ali (30 off 20) and MS Dhoni (28 off 9) began a six-hitting series to take CSK to a struggling 176 for six. In response, Rahul (82) and De Kock (54) batted with authority during their match-winning alliance of 134, the highest partnership for any wicket at the Ekana Stadium, while LSG scored 180 for 2 in 19 overs to recover from back-to-back losses and consolidate your position in the table.
CSK, who came into the match with two wins, on the other hand, slumped to their third defeat in this IPL.
The entire points table remained unchanged despite Friday’s result. CSK remained in third position while LSG also remained in fifth position.
Here is the updated IPL 2024 points table –
Virat Kohli continues with the Orange Cap with 361 runs to his name in 7 matches. Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah also keeps the purple cap with him with 13 wickets in 7 games.
Guilty of not capitalizing on his matches, Rahul finally lived up to expectations, hitting nine fours and three sixes in 53 balls, while De Kock overcame a difficult start to hit five fours and one six in his 43-ball knock.
Chasing 177, Rahul was the aggressor as he played some magnificent shots to give LSG a brilliant start.
The captain was tough on Deepak Chahar as he pulled the pacer for a six, before slapping him for another maximum cover. He also hit a four off a slower delivery.
Rahul also threw a back-foot punch to pacer Mustafizur Rahman as the runs were intense and fast.
De Kock also smashed Tushar Deshpande for a maximum at deep midwicket as the powerplay made it 54-0.
Then Rahul sent a short ball from pacer Matheesha Pathirana over third man for another maximum and the bowler was further demoralized when he dropped De Kock’s catch off Jadeja’s short third man in the ninth over.
After 10 overs, LSG were 89 for no loss.
Rahul scored his 35th fifty with a four from Jadeja in the 11th over and then reached another boundary to complete a 100-run opening stand with De Kock.
De Kock, who was out in the last three games, reached his fifty in the 15th over with a single strike from Mustafizur, who removed him off the last ball.
However, Nicholas Pooran came out with all cylinders firing, attacking Pathirana to the hilt, before sending Mustafizur on a leather hunt.
A one-handed catch from Jadeja finally ended Rahul’s fabulous knock but it was too late as Pooran (23 not out) and Marcus Stoinis (8 not out) knocked out the remaining runs.
Earlier, Rahul was on target with his bowling changes as the pacers put the CSK batsmen under pressure initially before spinner Krunal Pandya tightened the noose midway through the overs.
Opener Rachin Ravindra’s (0) poor run continued when left-arm pacer Mohsin rattled the stumps while Ruturaj Gaikwad (17) fell to Yash Thakur, who induced an outside edge from the CSK captain.
Rahane (36), who opened the innings again, bowled some excellent shots, pulling LSG debutant Matt Henry in the first six innings when 13 came out.
The Mumbaikar also hit two fours off Thakur to accumulate another 13 runs in the fifth over.
Jadeja, promoted to no. 4, hit Henry’s boundary in the next over as CSK scored 52 for 2 in the first six overs.
Due to the slowness of the track, the LSG captain immediately introduced spinners Krunal and Bishnoi and the former batted in his second over, clearing Rahane.
CSK’s in-form man Shivam Dube also failed to fire with Stoinis (1/7) justifying Rahul’s decision to hand him the ball, striking the first ball as the left-handed batsman cut it in the air.
Krunal then dropped impact player Sameer Rizvi again, who paid the price for his premeditated dance on the track as CSK lost half of their 90-man squad.
Jadeja, who played some sharp blows, held on to one end and completed his fifty with a six from Mohsin to bring out his trademark celebration of swordsmanship.
Rahul’s decision to give another to Bishnoi, however, backfired as Moeen hit three sixes as 19 came off the 18th before dying out.
LSG paid the price for a sloppy overplay when Dhoni hit a four and a six off Mohsin before hitting 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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