Lucknow: Veteran Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Shivam Dube showcased their composure under pressure, guiding Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to a nail-biting 5-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) with just three balls to spare at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium here on Monday.
The dynamic duo’s unbeaten partnership in the final overs sealed a much-needed win for CSK, breaking their streak of five consecutive losses.
Chasing a target of 167, CSK reached 168 for 5 in 19.3 overs, with Dube carving away the winning boundary off Avesh Khan through extra cover. Dube remained unbeaten on a crucial 43 off 37 balls, while Dhoni provided the finishing touches with a composed 26 not out off just 11 deliveries.
The final overs crackled with tension. With 27 runs required from the last two overs, Dhoni and Dube took charge. Shardul Thakur’s penultimate over proved expensive for LSG, conceding 19 runs, including a boundary from Dhoni off a full toss.
A dropped catch by Ravi Bishnoi off Dhoni further compounded LSG’s woes. The over took a dramatic turn when Thakur bowled a high full toss no-ball, which Dube dispatched for a boundry, followed by a six off the resulting free hit.
Earlier, Dhoni rolled back the years, smashing a vintage one-handed six off Thakur over midwicket and strategically placing two boundaries in the 17th over bowled by Avesh Khan. One of these boundaries was an edge, highlighting the pressure the CSK batsmen were putting on the LSG bowlers.
Dube played a crucial anchoring role, building his innings steadily and unleashing crucial boundaries in the later stages. His unbeaten knock was instrumental in keeping CSK in the hunt.
The CSK innings saw contributions from other batsmen, including Shaik Rasheed (27 off 19 balls) and Rachin Ravindra (37 off 22 balls), but it was the calm and calculated approach of Dhoni and the powerful hitting of Dube that ultimately steered CSK to victory.
For Lucknow, Ravi Bishnoi was the standout bowler with 2 wickets for 18 runs, while Avesh Khan, Digvesh Singh Rathi, and Aiden Markram each took one wicket. However, they couldn’t contain the experienced duo of Dhoni and Dube in the crucial final moments.
Earlier, Chennai bowlers, led by Matheesha Pathirana and Ravindra Jadeja, displayed masterful late-overs execution to restrict Lucknow to 166 for seven. CSK’s disciplined bowling effort was evident from the start after they opted to bowl first. Khaleel Ahmed struck early, removing Aiden Markram, followed by Anshul Kamboj trapping Nicholas Pooran, leaving LSG struggling in the initial overs.
LSG’s innings saw Mitchell Marsh contribute a brisk 30, but he was eventually dismissed by Jadeja. Captain Rishabh Pant then took charge, crafting a fluent 63 off 49 balls, showcasing his aggressive strokeplay with multiple boundaries and sixes. Pant looked set for a big score, reaching his half-century with a towering six.
However, CSK’s death bowling, orchestrated by Pathirana and the experienced Dhoni, proved decisive. In a dramatic 19th over, Pant was caught behind off Pathirana, and just before that, Dhoni produced a brilliant run-out of Abdul Samad. Shardul Thakur fell on the last ball, and LSG managed just 8 runs while losing three wickets in the final over.
Ayush Badoni provided some impetus with a quickfire 22, but he was eventually stumped by Dhoni off Jadeja. CSK’s bowling unit effectively stifled LSG in the final five overs, conceding only 43 runs and taking four wickets. Jadeja and Pathirana were the key wicket-takers, while Khaleel and Kamboj provided crucial early breakthroughs with economical spells.
Ultimately, it was the brilliance of Dhoni and the powerful hitting of Dube that secured a vital victory for Chennai, ending their losing streak in a thrilling fashion.
