Chennai Super Kings (CSK) scored a gigantic total of 210/7 in the match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) thanks to Robin Uthappa's batting masterpiece, Shivam Dube's power-hitting who had a mixed evening, and cameos from Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayadu, and MS Dhoni.
In reply, LSG got off to a solid start as well, with skipper KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock playing a wide array of shots. De Kock was dropped by Ali while batting at 30 in the 6th over. He went on to record his 17th half-century in the IPL.
But still, it was a huge target to chase down and the chasing team required 60 in the last 26 balls with almost every ball hitting the middle of Evin Lewis’ bat and Deepak Hooda at the other end too was looking dangerous. Hooda got out caught in the deep trying to hit it all the way but Lewis held the one end firmly.
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At number 6, Ayush Badoni, the hero of LSG's first match, entered. Jadeja then made an unexpected move by bringing in Dube to deliver the penultimate over, despite the fact that he hadn't bowled a single over.
The first ball of that over, Badoni pulled off an AB de Villiers. He smashed the ball over square leg for a maximum while down on one knee. On the next ball, he took a single, and Lewis, who was looking in good form, scored 14 runs off the last three deliveries. Dube had given up 25 runs.
Needing 9 off the last over, Badoni hit the winning shot and the Lucknow Super Giants got over the line with three balls to spare.
After the game, former Australia batter Matthew Hayden slammed CSK's tactical errors that cost them the game.
“Moeen Ali bowled just one over. He got smashed for 14 but guess what. That’s what it’s like playing on these really dewy wickets. It’s really wet; imagine trying to bowl with that ball. It’s not easy. And Shivam Dube as well… medium pacer, I mean that is just like serving cake to a little kindergarten kid. And Evin Lewis was just on fire,” Hayden said on Star Sports.
“CSK were also a little untidy on the field, remember that. Remember they dropped a few catches. Quinton de Kock got dropped off Bravo, that would have been the highest wicket-taking delivery. That didn’t happen. Also, Jadeja bowled just two overs, potentially he could have just managed Bravo to get him into that 17th, 19th over by bowling some additional overs,” he added.
