LSG take down CSK's bowling for eight-wicket win
Lucknow Super Giants 180 for 2 (Rahul 82, de Kock 54, Pooran 23*, Pathirana 1-29) beat Chennai Super Kings 176 for 6 (Jadeja 57*, Rahane 36, Moeen 30, Dhoni 28*, Krunal 2-16) by eight wickets
The Ekana Stadium crowd in Lucknow was served the perfect buffet on Friday night: spectacular MS Dhoni fireworks that powered Chennai Super Kings to a competitive 176 for 6 and then the home team Lucknow Super Giants chasing it down with a classy 82 off 53 from captain KL Rahul.
LSG's chase was set up by a dominant century opening stand - the first for them this season - between Rahul and Quinton de Kock, which didn't allow any CSK bowler to settle in. They collected boundaries regularly to score 54 in the powerplay, they didn't let CSK fight back in the middle overs (which they have done often this IPL), they didn't let the asking rate touch ten, and by the time de Kock fell for 54 in the 15th over, they needed a comfortable 43 from 30 balls.
Rahul also fell before the close, to a stunning catch by Ravindra Jadeja at backward point, but that didn't stop LSG from romping home with eight wickets in hand and an over to spare.