Extra Time Web Desk: Lucknow Super Kings (LSG) defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 6 wickets in the IPL 2022 match at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. LSG chased down the target with three balls to spare. For LSG, Evin Lewis and Quinton de Kock scored half-centuries and KL Rahul also made great cameos at the top of the order.
LSG scored an unbeaten 55 off 23 balls, from a desperate situation, to meet a great target of 211 with three balls to spare. Openers KL Rahul (40) and Quinton de Kock (61) laid the groundwork with a rolling stand but the increasing required run rate made the task extremely difficult for LSG.
However, Lewis had another idea and with the talented Ayush Badoni, who played his role by scoring 19 not out, in the end it looks pretty easy.
The script changed completely in the blink of an eye as Lewis and Badoni smashed Shivam Dubey for 25 in the last over to bring the equation down to nine off the last six balls.
Sure, there will be a debate about handing over the ball to Dubey in the 19th over.
All in all, Lewis hit six fours and three sixes to record his first win in the LSG profitable league for the first time. Badoni hit two maximum hits, which became important in the context of the final result.
Earlier, leg-spinner Ravi Vishnui (2/24) did a great job with the wet ball in difficult situations, even Robin Uthappa turned the clock back to give CSK a strong lead with his beautiful but brutal attack.
Rahul and De Kock punished CSK for admitting to the bowlers.
The pair were in their destructive best position, dealing only fours and sixes and at one point it looked like they were going to finish the game in quick time.
But Dwayne Pretorius (2/31) was right in his mark as Dwayne Bravo (1/35) let go of Rahul before Manish Pandey was sacked to bring the defending champions back into the game.
Pretorius hit again, accounting for compatriot De Kock as CSK continued to create pressure with good fielding.
Then, Lewis joined forces with Badoni to work for the LSG.
Only nine needed in the last over and Mukesh Chowdhury bowled a few wide, Badoni hit a six to equalize the score and then took his side over the line.
Earlier, Uthappa hit a smooth 50 off 27 balls before Dubey made 49 off 30 balls to give CSK a tough start, with skipper Rabindra Jadeja (17 off 9 balls) and MS Dhoni (16 off 6 balls) hitting two fours and a six in the final. Provide improvement.
Uthappa looked like a missionary as he slapped Avesh Khan (2/38) for a back-to-back boundary off the first two balls of the innings.
As soon as the ball landed nicely on the bat, he gave it across the entire park.
CSK suffered a blow when Ritu Raj Gaikwad (1), who was very low at the crease in the third over, was eliminated in the third over as a result of Vishnu’s direct injury from the backward point.
But Uthappa and newcomer Moin Ali (35) continued to attack with only fours and sixes.
The Super Giants bowlers had no answer for the pair as CSK scored 63 for one at the end of the powerplay.
In all, Uthappa hit eight fours and a maximum, with Moin hitting four boundaries and two sixes in his 22 balls.
Vishnu again brought his second success when he trapped Uthappa Leg Before in a quick delivery, shortly after the batter reached his fifties.
In the ninth over, Dushamantha Chamira (0/49) hit three boundaries and Uthappa picked up Dubey. It was a bad day for Sri Lanka as he was repeatedly confused with the ball on the field, giving easy boundaries.
With bowlers struggling to get nothing from the wicket, the sloping fielding made matters worse for the LSG.
Dubey and Ambati Rayudu (26), then, shared a 60-run stand to keep CSK on track for a big score.
News Source: PTI
