Chennai Super Kings defeats Lucknow Super Giants by 5 wickets as Shivam Dube completes chase with a six

The race has become tighter for the IPL playoffs this season. From technically being ruled out, Chennai Super Kings, after the initial phase, are gradually moving to the top as they are stationed at the 5th position, defeating Lucknow Super Giants by 5 wickets.

CSK chased down 204 runs with 4 balls to spare, thanks to Urvil Patel hammering the bowlers, followed by a finishing touch from Prashant Veer and Shivam Dube. Notably, after 2018, this is the first time CSK could chase a target over 200.

Lucknow Super Giants, meanwhile, gave a good start with the bat. It was Josh Inglis on top, and later Shahbaz Ahmed, who added some runs for LSG to defend. Defending the runs, they got hold in the middle, but a few dropped catches took them out of the win.

CSK Bowlers Break LSG Momentum

Chennai’s bowlers kept breaking partnerships despite Josh Inglis tearing into the attack with an 85 off 33 balls at Chepauk. The wicketkeeper-batter smashed 10 fours and six sixes, helping Lucknow race to 97/1 inside the powerplay, but the innings kept losing momentum once wickets started falling at regular intervals. Anshul Kamboj removed Mitchell Marsh for 10 before Noor Ahmad trapped Nicholas Pooran for just one. Jamie Overton then struck twice in the same over, dismissing Inglis and Rishabh Pant to derail the middle phase.

Lucknow slipped from 112/2 to 147/6 as Aiden Markram was run out for six and Akshat Raghuwanshi managed only 18 from 18 deliveries. Noor Ahmad stood out with figures of 1/24 in four overs, conceding at an economy of six while others travelled. Overton finished with 3/36 and Kamboj claimed 2/47. Shahbaz Ahmed’s unbeaten 43 off 25, along with Himmat Singh’s 17, pushed Lucknow beyond 200, but two run-outs in the final over reflected how Chennai repeatedly halted their attempts to build long stands.

Read also: CKS vs LSG: "This is for Papa," Chit trend continues as Urvil Patel equals Yashasvi Jaiswal in this IPL record

Urvil powers Chennai after blazing powerplay

Chennai’s chase revolved around Urvil Patel’s explosive 65 from just 23 balls after Sanju Samson provided an early burst with 28 off 14. The side reached 50 in only 4.1 overs before Urvil completely shifted the tempo during a 81-run partnership with Ruturaj Gaikwad. Urvil reached his fifty in 13 balls, smashing seven sixes by then, and eventually struck eight maximums overall at a strike rate of 282.60. Chennai crossed 100 in only 6.2 overs, putting Lucknow’s bowlers immediately under pressure.

Gaikwad anchored the innings with 42 off 28 while Kartik Sharma’s 20 ensured the scoring rate never dipped badly through the middle overs. Lucknow’s bowlers failed to control lengths consistently, conceding 11 extras including nine wides. Digvesh Rathi and Shahbaz Ahmed picked up two wickets each, but both leaked boundaries regularly. Avesh Khan also conceded 44 in four overs, while Markram’s lone over disappeared for 14 runs. After two wickets fell on consecutive deliveries at 169, Shivam Dube and Prashant Veer finished the chase calmly with late sixes.