Lucknow Super Giants

Our two-match losing streak is over and what a way to end it!

A brilliant opening stand by kaptaan KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock helped us pick up a welcome eight-wicket victory over reigning champions Chennai Super Kings at the Ekana on Friday.

We’re still fifth in the IPL 2024 points table but are level on points with KKR, SRH and CSK. Only RR have more with 12.

Bowling first, we did well to counter CSK’s in-form Shivam Dube and Ruturaj Gaikwad but a watchful half-century by Ravindra Jadeja and late cameos from Moeen Ali and MS Dhoni took the Super Kings to 176/6.

However, KL Rahul led the run chase from the front and guided us to a comfortable victory - our fourth of the season.

Krunal shines in disciplined bowling performance

KL Rahul won the toss and opted to bowl and Matt Henry, making his IPL debut, opened the bowling for us and gave away just four runs in the first over.

Mohsin Khan, spearheading the attack from the other end, gave us the early breakthrough with his very first ball, castling Rachin Ravindra for a duck.

Ajinkya Rahane and Ruturaj Gaikwad strung together a 29-run partnership but our ever-reliable Yash Thakur intervened after forcing a nick off the CSK skipper in the fifth over with a sharp outswinger.

Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja then joined forces out in the middle and their 35-run partnership had only started to look dangerous before Krunal Pandya outsmarted Rahane and rattled his leg stump. 

The dangerous Shivam Dube (3 off 8) wasn’t allowed much time on the crease as Marcus Stoinis forced the in-form batter to sky one straight to Rahul in the 12th over. Pandya removed Samir Rizvi, stumped by Rahul, in the very next over to reduce CSK to 90/4.

Jadeja, however, held with a responsible half-century (57* off 40) while Moeen Ali (30 off 20) and MS Dhoni (28* off 8) propelled CSK to a handy score of 176/6 in their allotted 20 overs.

KL leads chase from the front

After carefully navigating the first couple overs, KL decided to step on the pedal and signaled his intent with a boundary off Deepak Chahar through midwicket. Kaptaan went on the offensive while Quinton de Kock held up the other end and before long we had put up 54 for no loss in powerplay.

Rahul reached his half-century in 31 balls while de Kock, too, ramped up the scoring rate at the other end, not allowing any CSK bowler to settle.

Be it the in-form Matheesha Pathirana, the wily Jadeja or Purple Cap contender Mustafizur Rahman managed to trouble our dynamic duo as we steadily marched forward towards our target.

QDK reached his fifty as well, in 41 deliveries. Our 134-run opening stand was finally broken after de Kock was caught behind by Dhoni off Mustafizur. A blinder of a catch by Jadeja saw KL’s sensational innings end at 82 off 53 deliveries.

However, Nicky P (23* off 12) and Stoinis (8* off 7) made sure we crossed the finish line with one over to spare.

What next for the Super Giants?

We’ll be facing CSK again at Chepauk on April 23.

Brief Scores: Chennai Super Kings 176/6 in 20 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 57, Krunal Pandya 2/16) lost to Lucknow Super Giants 180/2 in 19 overs (KL Rahul 82; Matheesha Pathirana 1/29) by eight wickets.