Picture Credit: X/IPL
On Friday, April 19, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) registered a comfortable eight-wicket win over the reigning champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 34th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. With this win, the KL Rahul-led side, LSG consolidated their position in the first half of the IPL points table.
After winning the toss, KL Rahul, the captain of LSG decided to put the opposition to bat first. With the two openers heading back to the pavilion after a dismal outing, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane steadied the chase. But, soon after, while Jadeja stood firm in the middle, wickets kept falling at the other end, before MS Dhoni took the guards.
The duo put up a crucial partnership with MS Dhoni once again playing a quick cameo and finishing the inning with a nine-ball 28*. Ravindra Jadeja also played a 40-ball 57* to help the side cross the 170-run mark and put up a competitive total. For LSG, Krunal Pandya was the pick of the bowlers, scalping two wickets in his three-over spell.
In the run chase for LSG, skipper KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock stitched a crucial 100-run stand up the order, before the latter headed back in the 15th over with MS Dhoni pulling off a brilliant catch. At this moment LSG needed just 43 off final five overs.
With CSK still in the game till the last few overs, KL Rahul also had to depart, courtesy a stunner from Ravindra Jadeja and the onus was then on Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran to finish the things. The West Indies international later scored the winning runs to help LSG cross the finish line and register their fourth win of the season.