Spinners, Dhoni help CSK end losing sequence

Chennai Super Kings snapped a five-game losing streak and halted Lucknow Super Giants' three-match winning run with a tense win at the Ekana Stadium. CSK's spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Noor Ahmad laid the foundation by choking LSG through the middle overs, before an unbeaten 57-run stand between Shivam Dube (43* off 37) and MS Dhoni (26* off 11) helped chase down 166 with three balls to spare.

Where was the game won?

It was one of those rare games where the toss appeared to have played a big role. The ball stopped on the wicket quite a bit in the first half of the game and LSG managed only 42. CSK, who had struggled with the bat in the first six overs, found a new hero in debutant Shaik Rasheed, who set the ball rolling for the chase by hitting six fours.

PowerPlay difference

LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS

PowerPlay: Khaleel, Kamboj keep LSG's big-hitters in check

Phase Score: 42/2 (RR: 7.00; 4s/6s: 5/2)

CSK, desperate to turn their season around, found the early lift they needed after opting to field. Rahul Tripathi set the tone with a superb running catch to dismiss Aiden Markram in the opening over, Khaleel Ahmed's fourth PowerPlay wicket of the season. MS Dhoni stuck to just two fast bowlers in the phase and was rewarded for his trust on a pitch that offered tennis-ball bounce. Anshul Kamboj delivered a big blow by trapping Nicholas Pooran LBW with a full ball, a decision that needed a successful review. Mitchell Marsh, returning to the XI, struck a pair of sixes to keep LSG's score ticking, but the visitors were firmly kept in check through a disciplined PowerPlay.

Middle Overs: Jadeja strikes, Noor squeezes

Phase Score: 67/2 (RR: 7.44; 4s/6s: 5/3)

CSK took the big call of leaving out R. Ashwin for this game. His long-time spin-partner Ravindra Jadeja hadn't been in the best of forms coming into the game either but produced an excellent spell through the middle overs. After a scratchy start in which he conceded 14 off his first 7 balls, Jadeja found his rhythm, beginning with the big wicket of Mitchell Marsh, bowled by a skiddy, flat delivery. Ayush Badoni looked threatening, launching two sixes off Jamie Overton, and even survived a bizarre sequence when he was caught at third man off a no-ball, called because Pathirana's third bouncer of the over narrowly exceeded the height to the batter's shoulder. Moments later, Badoni was given out LBW to Jadeja but overturned the decision on review due to a faint glove. His luck eventually ran out when Jadeja outfoxed him, bowling wider as Badoni charged out, resulting in a stumping. At the other end, Noor Ahmad quietly applied the squeeze, returning a miserly 3-0-10-0 through the phase.

Death Overs: Pant's half-century gives a fighting chance

Phase Score: 57/3 (RR: 11.40; 4s/6s: 1/5)

Pant's innings oscillated between scratchy and explosive. Coming in during the PowerPlay, he raced to 28 off 15 before being dropped by MS Dhoni off Noor Ahmad. The Afghan spinner tied Pant down with six consecutive dot balls, conceding just six off the 15 balls he bowled to him. Pant appeared to lose momentum, crawling to 38 off 38. But once pace returned, so did his fluency. He launched two sixes off Matheesha Pathirana and another off Khaleel Ahmed in the 19th, eventually falling in the final over for a 49-ball 63, his second-slowest IPL half-century. Despite the sluggish middle, his late acceleration dragged LSG to a competitive score.

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS

PowerPlay: Debutant Rasheed makes a good first impression

Phase Score: 59/1 (RR: 9.83; 4s/6s: 11/0)

Once again, CSK didn't hit any sixes in the PowerPlay. But they didn't need to as they managed 11 fours and totally bossed the PowerPlay. Six of those boundaries came from the bat of IPL debutant Shaik Rasheed. After being beaten by Akash Deep, Rasheed struck the Bengal seamer for three boundaries in an over. He found two more against Shardul Thakur in the following over as CSK plundered 37 from the first 3 overs. A standout feature of his knock was the high-elbow flicks he repeatedly timed through the leg side. He eventually fell to a short slower ball from Avesh Khan but left a strong first impression. At the other end, Rachin Ravindra quietly accelerated to 25 off 13 balls.

Middle Overs: Bishnoi leads spin choke as LSG fight back

Phase Score: 52/4 (RR: 5.78; 4s/6s: 2/1)

Ravi Bishnoi has largely operated in the shadows of Digvesh Rathi this season, but today he stepped up as LSG's lead spinner. He should have had a wicket in his first over, but Abdul Samad put down a simple catch at long-on to reprieve Rahul Tripathi. Pant made a sharp tactical call to introduce part-time offspinner Markram from the other end, and it paid off when Ravindra missed a sweep and was trapped plumb in front. Bishnoi didn't have to wait much longer, he took matters into his own hands, quite literally, with a sharp return catch to dismiss Tripathi. The move to promote Jadeja to No.4 too backfired for CSK as Bishnoi lured him into a mistimed loft to long-on with a slower, loopier delivery. CSK allowed Markram to bowl out his four overs for 1/25 while Rathi added the wicket off Vijay Shankar with his last ball to finish with 1/23 as CSK were left to get 56 of the final 5.

Death Overs: Dhoni and Dube close it out

Phase Score: 57/0 (RR: 12.67; 4s/6s: 7/2)

Avesh Khan bowled a tidy 16th over until MS Dhoni found boundaries off the last two balls-one a thick edge past the keeper. LSG then opted for a ball change and turned to Shardul Thakur, who conceded 13 runs, including a rasping forehand smash past extra cover from Dhoni. That brought the equation down to 31 needed off the final three overs. Pant held back Bishnoi's final over and persisted with Avesh, who responded with another disciplined spell despite conceding a thick-edged four to Dhoni. Just seven came off the 18th, keeping LSG marginally in the hunt.

However, Thakur's execution faltered in the penultimate over. With a dewy ball in hand, his wide-yorker plan misfired. Dube guided the first for four and then dispatched a full toss-above waist height-for six. Dhoni followed up with a mow to the boundary off another full toss, leaving CSK just five to get from the final over.

Brief scores: Lucknow Super Giants 166/7 in 20 overs (Rishabh Pant 63; Ravindra Jadeja 2-24, Noor Ahmad 0-13) lost to Chennai Super Kings 168/5 (Shivam Dube 43*, MS Dhoni 26*; Ravi Bishnoi 2-18) by 5 wickets.

What's next for the teams?

LSG have the rest of the week off before they travel to Jaipur for a Saturday evening clash against Rajasthan Royals. CSK play the following day in Mumbai, hoping to complete the double over their fellow five-time champions.