Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) 7-wicket defeat to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Friday (May 15) significantly damaged their Net Run Rate (+0.027) and dropped them to 6th place, with 12 points from 12 games.
Sent in to bat, CSK posted 187/5 in their 20 overs, heavily relying on a resilient 71 off 42 balls from young Kartik Sharma and a late unbeaten 32 off 16 balls from Shivam Dube.
LSG comfortably chased the 188-run target with 20 balls to spare. Mitchell Marsh dismantled the CSK bowling attack with a blazing 90 off 38 balls, putting up a mammoth 135-run opening stand with Josh Inglis (36 off 32). Nicholas Pooran (32* off 17) finished the match in style with four consecutive sixes.
In order to reach the playoffs, the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side now needs to win their remaining two league fixtures and hope other results favor them.
Speaking during the post-match press conference, CSK batting coach Michael Hussey said they will have to treat every game as a "final" from here on.
"Well, I mean, I actually love this time of the tournament because it's like every game is like a final, you know, and we're in that situation now," Hussey told reporters.
"We're going to have to win our last two matches. I mean, I haven't studied the table that closely. Yeah, there's a lot of teams fighting out for that probably the last couple of spots in the top-four," he said.
"This is where (stage of the tournament) the pressure is really on everyone, not just us, but all the other teams as well. And you can see some crazy things happen. So we're still (in with) a chance...we still have belief that we can make it through," he added.
Despite the precarious situation, both Hussey and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad remain completely unfazed. Gaikwad dismissed mathematical anxieties by simply stating that their goal is to win every game moving forward.
Hussey echoed this sentiment, stating, “We're going to obviously have to take care of our business. Probably need a couple of results to go our way as well. But that's the nature of this tournament. And I feel like it's really building to a really nice climax.”
"And that's why I think it's one of the best tournaments in the world, because at this stage of the tournament, you know, there's only two teams that are actually definitely out. Even the teams that are below us have still a chance, you know, theoretically to make the final. So I think it's an awesome opportunity for everyone. But, yeah, that's the way we'll be looking at it," he remarked.
Hussey commended the CSK batters for posting 187, as the pitch offered significant pace and bounce, but admitted that bowlers' inability to break the Marsh-Inglis partnership allowed the hosts to cruise to victory.
"Our guys did a pretty good job to get to that score, 180, what did we get, 187. I thought it was a good effort to get there because it did look challenging, especially with, you know, they (LSG) had a good pace attack, hit the pitch hard, got some good pace and bounce, so it was a really good effort.
"And then, I think, the way they started, you know, they obviously were going to come out pretty hard, take their chances and if they get away, they're hard to stop. You know, Mitch Marsh, Josh Inglis, they both enjoy playing on those sort of faster, bouncier pitches coming from Australia."
"So there was a bit of an advantage there and then once they get their confidence up and impose themselves on the game, then it can be hard to stop. So, yeah, obviously the plan was to try and get a couple of early wickets and then really put the pressure on them through the middle and yeah, we just couldn't unfortunately break that opening partnership until it was probably a little bit too late," Hussey stated.
(With PTI Inputs)
