Four-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bounced back after their defeat in the IPL 2023 opener against defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) to beat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Match 6 of the tournament at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.MS Dhoni and CSK were back playing at Chepauk after 1427 days, their last game at the venue was against MI, on May 7 2019.
Ruturaj Gaikwad sizzled again with 57 off 31 balls as he and Devon Conway (47 off 29) laid the platform with a 110-run opening stand. Scoring 79 in the power play. Ambati Rayudu (27* off 14) and MS Dhoni (12 off 3) provided the finishing touches to help CSK post a daunting 217/7. The CSK spinners, led by Moeen Ali (4/26) spun a web around the LSG batters and restricted them to 205/7 to help achieve a 12-run win in their long-awaited homecoming.
Dhoni became the first wicketkeeper-batter to score 5000 runs in the IPL.
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Former Chennai players Suresh Raina and Robin Uthappa were present at the venue and there was a grand reunion after the match. The CSK franchise shared a picture with five CSK legends embracing. Apart from Dhoni, Raina, and Uthappa, Rayudu and Jadeja are also in the frame.
There was a heartwarming moment after the game as MS Dhoni met K Gowtham’s family and had a few pictures clicked with them.
Chasing 218, Kyle Mayers picked up from where he left off in the last match against DC and got off to a quick start. He took the attack to Ben Stokes and Deepak Chahar and hammered them all over the park. CSK’s Impact Player Tushar Deshpande struggled in his first over as he gave away 18 runs. Mayers reached his fifty off just 21 balls but departed soon after as he looked to take on Ali but ended up holing out to Conway. It was a huge wicket in the context of the game as he was looking in ominous touch.
LSG scored 80/1 in the power play. The spinners brought CSK back into the match as Mitchell Santner and Ali got rid of KL Rahul, Deepak Hooda and Krunal Pandya as LSG went from 80/1 after 6 overs to 105/4 at the halfway mark of the innings.
Nicholas Pooran came in and scored 32 off 18 balls and looked like he could take LSG all the way but he was caught at long off in the 16th over.
With 62 needed from 24, K Gowtham, Impact player Ayush Badoni and Mark Wood could not get LSG over the line as they fell short by 12 runs and suffered their first defeat of the 2023 season.LSG are next in action against SRH at Lucknow on April 7. While CSK have a blockbuster clash with MI to look forward to at the Wankhede on April 8.
