MUMBAI: Lucknow Super Giants chased down 211 in 19.3 overs against Chennai Super Kings to register a six-wicket win in match 7 of the Indian Premier League. Here are the major highlights of the match:
‘Delightful’ Uthappa: Robin Uthappa looked in supremely imperious touch right from the word go as he smashed three boundaries off Avesh Khan in the first over of the match. He exhibited his vast repertoire of shots as he flicked with felicity, cut with finesse and drove with effortless ease. Throughout his innings, he played delightfully traditional shots and didn’t resort to hoicks and slogs.
Uthappa whipped the leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi behind square on the on side to notch up his fifty in just 25 balls, but was trapped in front of the stumps on the next ball. He added 56 runs in just 30 balls for the second wicket with Moeen Ali to put Chennai in the saddle.
Dube’s mixed fortunes: IPL 2022 can be a springboard for all-rounder Shivam Dube to secure his place in India’s T20 team for the World T20. On Thursday, he batted with exquisite elan as he unfurled a couple of gorgeous cover drives off Dushmantha Chameera. Later in the innings, he also clobbered Chameera for a huge six.
However, he gave away 25 runs in just one over with the ball and his substandard bowling was one of the reasons behind his team’s defeat.
Bishnoi’s spell, Dhoni’s cameo: Bishnoi was the pick of the bowlers for Lucknow as he snaffled two wickets and conceded only 24 runs in four overs. He used his dip and flippers to good effect to arrest the flow of runs.
Chameera had a woefully forgetful day as he was smacked for 49 runs in 4 overs. Worse, he grassed a simple catch of Dube and also gave away two boundaries due to atrocious fielding.
Dhoni came to bat in the 19th over and bludgeoned a six off the first ball to send the crowd in a tizzy. His breezy cameo of 16 runs off 6 balls pushed Chennai to 210-7 in 20 overs.
Lucknow openers go berserk: Chasing a stiff target of 211, Lucknow openers – KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock – didn’t show nerves and batted with absolute abandon. De Kock whipped out an array of stinging cover drives and pulls, while KL Rahul used his feet decisively against spinners and took them to the cleaners.
Both them got adequate support from Chennai fielders as Ali spilled an easy catch of De Kock at extra-cover off Dwayne Bravo in the 6th over. In the next over, Tushar Deshpande made a fine attempt but dropped Rahul’s catch off Ravindra Jadeja at deep extra-cover.
Rahul walloped Jadeja for a six over long-off, while slogged Ali out of the park over long-on. He was eventually undone by a slower delivery from Dwaine Pretorius but not before adding 99 runs with De Kock for the first wicket.
Lewis’ late blitz: Lucknow still needed 67 runs in the last 5 overs when De Kock was dismissed. However, Lewis went on the rampage, hammered six fours & three sixes and put Chennai bowlers to sword. His whirlwind 55* off just 23 balls, the fastest fifty of the season till now, helped his team chase down 211 in 19.3 overs.