IPL 2025: Dhoni’s chase mastery ends CSK’s five-match losing streak; defeat LSG by 5 wickets

LUCKNOW: Skipper M S Dhoni’s masterclass brought an end to Chennai’s lean patch as the Super Kings stamped their authority with an invaluable five-wicket win against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Monday.

Dhoni’s special and Shivam Dube’s composed yet belligerent display in patches ended Chennai’s five-match unbeaten streak. Dhoni stayed unbeaten on 26 from 11 deliveries, with four boundaries and a six while Dube struck 43* from 37 deliveries as CSK emerged triumphant in the final over with three balls to spare

Chennai began the 167-run pursuit with a sizzling opening stand between IPL debutant Shaik Rasheed and Rachin Ravindra. The young Kiwi southpaw set the tone with back-to-back boundaries in the opening over off Shardul Thakur.

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Rasheed flexed his boundary-hitting muscles by targeting Akash Deep. The young debutant found his first boundary in the IPL by timing his flick to perfection. With his impeccable timing, he finished the over with back-to-back deliveries to set the tempo of the chase.

The duo went from strength to strength and raised a 52-run opening stand before Rasheed (27) perished against Avesh Khan. The experienced bowler reduced his pace and clocked 125 kph to lure the 20-year-old into committing a mistake and hole it to Nicholas Pooran.

In his 100th IPL game, Rahul Tripathi had fortune on his side. Abdul Samad dropped a sitter, allowing the experienced batter an extended stay on the crease. The Super Kings were flying high in the chase, but Aiden Markram trapped Ravindra in front of the stumps on 37(22) against the run of play.

CSK lost another wicket in the space of four deliveries after Tripathi (9) cushioned the ball back into the hands of Ravi Bishnoi and returned to the dressing room with another flop show.

Shivam Dube tried to stage a comeback with Ravindra Jadeja, but Bishnoi found the breakthrough to put Chennai on the backfoot. Jadeja set his eyes on the boundary but holed it to Markram close to the edge of the boundary.

Vijay Shankar failed to make a much-needed impact and departed cheaply. With CSK needing a player to finish off the game, Dhoni stepped up to lead his side to victory. The crowd welcomed the stalwart with thundering applause as Dhoni formulated the blueprint for success.

With two successive boundaries on the final deliveries of the 16th over, Dhoni began chopping the required rate. On the final delivery of the 17th over, Dhoni muscled the ball away to clear the boundary rope for a one-handed maximum.

As the equation came down to 24 needed in 12, Shivam Dube unleashed a relentless onslaught in the penultimate over. Shardul Thakur, with his crafty pace, got decimated. Dube placed the ball with precision to guide the ball to the boundary rope. On the next delivery, he clobbered the ball into the stands for a maximum.

LSG’s woes increased when Bishnoi floored the chance of sending Dhoni back to the dressing room on 20. The ball came quickly at him; it was a regulation catch, but the ball burst through Bishnoi’s hands.

Dhoni punished Lucknow for its mistake by dispatching the ball for a four on the final over to finish the over with a staggering 19 runs. The winning runs came off Dube’s bat as CSK ended its five-match losing streak.

Earlier in the match, after being put to bat first by CSK, LSG was off to a poor start. Khaleel Ahmed continued his first-over heroics in the season, getting opener Aiden Markram for just six in six balls at the conclusion of the first over, thanks to a fine diving catch from Rahul Tripathi.

CSK put another roadblock on LSG’s path as Anshul Kambhoj got the big wicket of an in-form Nicholas Pooran for just eight in nine balls. LSG was 23/2 in four overs. Mitchell Marsh and skipper Rishabh Pant rebuild the innings, with both taking to the attack against the pacers. At the end of six overs, LSG was 42/2 in six overs, with Mitchell (22*) and Rishabh (6*) unbeaten.

LSG reached the 50-run mark in 6.3 overs, thanks to a reverse scoop by Pant that went for a six. The 50-run stand between the duo ended with Ravindra Jadeja getting Marsh clean bowled for 30 in 25 balls, with two fours and two sixes. LSG was 73/3 in 9.3 overs. At the end of 10 overs, LSG was 78/3, with Ayush Badoni (5*) joining Pant (28*).

Badoni tried to ease off some pressure, hitting Jamie Overton for two successive sixes at the end of the 12th over. LSG reached their 100-run mark in 12.3 overs. A fine stumping from MS Dhoni ended Badoni’s (22 in 17 balls, with a four and two sixes), giving Jadeja his second wicket. LSG was 105/4 in 13.4 overs.

Pant eased off some pressure, hitting Matheesha Pathirana for two sixes, completing his first IPL 2025 fifty in 42 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes. The 18th over by Pathirana brought 18 runs for LSG. The next over bowled by Khaleel helped LSG get 16 runs, including a six each by Pant and Samad. LSG reached the 150-run mark in 19 overs.

The final over was somewhat fruitful for CSK as they got Abdul Samad run out for 20 in 11 balls, with two sixes and Dhoni caught Pant (63 in 49 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) off Pathirana’s bowling. LSG ended at 166/7 in their 20 overs, with Pathirana getting Shardul Thakur (6) on the final ball. (ANI)