Chennai registered a five-wicket win over Lucknow in a Premier League match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday. After winning the toss, Chennai opted to bowl first.
Lucknow got off to a flying start with Phil Salt and Mitchell Marsh at the top. While Marsh began slowly, Salt attacked from the outset, bringing up a half-century in just 17 balls as Lucknow raced to 91/1 at the end of the powerplay.
Salt, who looked set for a century, was dismissed for 85, and Lucknow’s momentum dipped thereafter. Chennai’s bowlers struck at regular intervals, with key batters Nicholas Pooran (1), Rishabh Pant (16) and Aiden Markram (18) failing to convert starts. Shabaz Ahmed provided late impetus with an unbeaten 43 as Lucknow finished on 203/8 in 20 overs. Overton picked up three wickets, Kamboj took two, and Noor Ahmed claimed one.
In reply, Chennai’s chase was launched by Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad, with Samson scoring 28 off 14 balls. Urvil Patel then took charge, smashing a 13-ball fifty and pushing Chennai to 97/1 at the end of the powerplay.
Patel fell for 65 and Gaikwad for 42, and the chase tightened briefly as the middle order could not add quick runs. Needing 10 off the final six balls, Shivam Dube struck two consecutive sixes to seal the win, as Chennai completed a hat-trick of victories in their last three matches.
