Jadeja-Moeen’s crucial partnership, Dhoni’s cameo power Chennai to 176/6 against Lucknow

Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali’s 51-run partnership and MS Dhoni’s late-order cameo powered Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to 176/6 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Friday.
After winning the toss, LSG sent Ruturaj Gaikwad’s CSK to bat first. Even though the Lucknow bowlers successfully picked up early wickets, which helped them take an early advantage in the game, but Jadeja-Moeen’s partnership and MS Dhoni’s blazing knock powered CSK to 176/6.
Ajinkya Rahane (36 runs from 24 balls) and Rachin Ravindra (0 runs from 1 ball) opened for the visitors but could only make a partnership of four runs.
Mohsin Khan made the first breakthrough of the match after he dismissed Ravindra in the second over. Just moments later in the 5th over, Yash Thakur picked up the second wicket of the game after he removed skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (17 runs from 13 balls).
The two wickets in the first powerplay helped LSG get an upperhand on the game.
Krunal Pandya picked up a crucial wicket after the LSG bowler dismissed Rahane in the 9th over.
In the 12th over, hard hitter Shivam Dube (3 runs from 8 balls) was unlucky to lose his wicket after he got an edge from Marcus Stoinis’s delivery, which was taken by Rahul.
After the dismissal of Dube, CSK lost another quick wicket in the 13th over, when Pandya dismissed Sameer Rizvi (1 run from 5 balls).
However, the 51-run partnership from Moeen and Jadeja helped CSK get back on track in the match. Jadeja (57 runs from 40 balls) and Moeen (30 runs from 20 balls) were stupendous on the crease.
Jadeja slammed 5 fours and 1 six. While, the English allrounder smashed only three sixes.
In the 18th over, Bishnoi removed Moeen from the crease, thinking it would help LSG keep a check on CSK’s run rate.
But MS Dhoni’s unbeaten 28 runs from 9 balls, which included 3 fours and 2 sixes, cruised CSK to a total of 176/6. The former CSK skipper batted at a strike rate of 311.11.
On the other hand, Pandya was the only LSG bowler to bag two wickets. Mohsin Khan, Yash Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, and Marcus Stoinis all picked up one wicket each in their respective spells.
Brief score: Chennai Super Kings 176/6 (Ravindra Jadeja 57*, Ajinkya Rahane 36*, Moeen Ali 30; Krunal Pandya 2/16) vs Lucknow Super Giants. (ANI)