LSG vs CSK, the 7th match of the ongoing Tata IPL 2022, saw batters dismantle the bowlers to score over 420 runs in the game.
Chennai posted a huge total of 210 runs on the board on the back of brilliant performances from Robin Uthappa and Shivam Dube.
However, KL Rahul’s troops did not let the scoreboard rattle them and ended up on the winning side following some great hitting by Evin Lewis and Ayush Badoni.
At the toss:
Lokesh Rahul won the toss and opted to bowl first, considering the due impact in the 2nd innings. Rahul mentioned that Andrew Tye was included in the XI after missing out in the first match against Gujarat. At the same time, Jadeja announced that Moeen Ali had joined the playing XI in place of Devon Conway.
CSK Innings:
Chennai Super Kings had a fantastic start with Robin Uthappa in complete attack mode taking apart the LSG bowlers. However, a miscommunication between Gaikwad and Uthappa led to the former’s dismissal.
Gaikwad’s unfortunate dismissal did not phase Uthappa, who kept going after the bowlers with Moeen Ali for a 56 run stand for the 2nd wicket. Uthappa scored a blitzing 50 off 27 while Moeen Ali played an exotic knock of 35 off 22. Ravi Bishnoi sent back Uthappa while Avesh Khan accounted for Moeen Ali.
Dube and Rayudu constructed a 60 runs stand for the 4th wicket, following Ali and Robin. The duo carried on the run rate with some exquisite stroke play. Rayudu made 27 off 20 before attempting a cross-batted slog on Bishnoi’s bowling to get dismissed.
On the other hand, Dube fell short of a deserved half-century and contributed 49 off 30. The last few overs were a treat for CSK fans as MS Dhoni, and Ravindra Jadeja played exhilarating shots. Dhoni hit a first-ball six and remained unbeaten on 16* off 6 as CSK posted 210/7 in the 20 overs.
LSG Innings:
Chasing a mammoth 210, Lucknow required a partnership at the top to allow the middle-order to play freely. Giants openers Rahul and Quinton de Kock took the responsibility on their shoulders to form a 99 run stand for the 1st in just 10.2 overs. Both Rahul and de Kock had a catch dropped on them early in the innings that immensely helped LSG’s cause in the long chase.
Dwaine Pretorius opened up the doors for a CSK comeback by deceiving KL Rahul through a slower ball to get his prized wicket. Rahul notched up 40 off 26. Following Rahul, Manish Pandey again failed to leave his mark on the game as he could only generate 5 off 6 on his short stay on the crease.
With two quick dismissals, LSG stuttered a little, with Quinton de Kock finding it hard to pierce the gap in the field. Ultimately de Kock’s troubled stay in the middle was ended by Pretorius to put CSK in a commanding position. The wicket-keeper batsman scored 61 off 45, including 9 fours.
Evin Lewis and Deepak Hooda tried bringing LSG back in the hunt with a few sixes and boundaries, but CSK kept bowling in the right areas to maintain the required run rate above 12. Hooda perished on 13 while attempting to slog a full toss from Dwayne Bravo and his wicket brought Ayush Badoni to the crease.
Super Kings’ flawed strategy of bowling its premium bowlers before the penultimate 19th and 20th over destroyed its chances of winning the game. In the 19th over, Shivam Dube, who had not bowled even a single over in the innings, came to bowl in front of well set Evin Lewis and Ayush Badoni. Lewis and Badoni dispatched him for sixes and fours to collect 25 runs in the over and bring the equation down to 9 runs in the last over.
Badoni finished the match in style in the 20th over on the first two balls by dispatching the debutant Mukesh Chaudhary for consecutive boundaries.
Also read: IPL 2022, GT VS LSG: Titans Overpowered the Super Giants
