Lucknow: MS Dhoni’s quick-fire 28 off nine deliveries after Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten half-century lifted Chennai Super Kings to 176 for 6 in 20 overs against Lucknow Super Giants in match 34 of the Indian Premier League at Ekana Cricket Stadium.
Given the chance to bat first Chennai got off to a poor start as Mohsin Khan from the Media End 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. A first-ball duck for Rachin and Mohsin bowled pretty tight for the rest of the over too to concede just three runs.
CSK had just started to pick up pace after being 7/1 in two overs and were 29/1 after four. K.L. 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 outwalked Ravindra Jadeja at No. 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 Power-play, 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 No.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 Power-play, 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 the new man at No. 6, came in as an Impact Sub for Rahane, who won’t field in the chase. CSK were slowing down after the 12 overs and scored 89/4, with the last five overs bringing only 32/2.
CSK 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. Until this game, CSK had scored at 11.26 in the death overs and if they could get anywhere closer to that, they would be more than happy, especially to post something around 160.
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.
Brief scores:
Chennai Super Kings 176/6 in 20 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 57 not out, Ajinkya Rahane 36; Krunal Pandya 2-16, Marcus Stoinis 1-7) against Lucknow Super Giants.
IANS