Evin Lewis, who looks to Chris Gayle for inspiration, bats, or rather, belts the ball like the great Jamaican to guide Lucknow Super Giants to an incredible win over Chennai Super Kings in the IPL on Thursday. Lewis played an unbeaten knock of 55 not out off 23 balls as LSG, from a disappointing position, chased down the target of 211 runs with three balls to spare. Openers KL Rahul (40) and Quinton de Kock (61) laid the groundwork with strong stands but the rising required run rate made the task extremely difficult for LSG.
However, Lewis had other ideas and along with the talented Aayush Badoni, who played his part in his nine-ball 19, made it quite easy in the end.
The script completely changed in the blink of an eye as Lewis and Badoni dismissed Shivam Dube for 25 to bring the equation down to nine in the last six balls.
There will certainly be some debate on handing over the ball to Dubey for the 19th over.
Overall, Lewis hit six fours and three sixes as LSG registered their first win in the lucrative league for the first time. Badoni imposed two maximums, which proved to be important in terms of the final result.
Earlier, leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi (2/24) did a tremendous job with the wet ball in difficult conditions even as Robin Uthappa with his graceful yet brutal attack to take CSK to a strong total turned the clock back.
Rahul and de Kock depart for a flier, punishing the CSK bowlers for subjugating.
The pair were at their devastating best, only working in four more sixes and at one point it looked like they were going to end the game quickly.
But Dwayne Pretorius (2/31) was right on his mark as Dwayne Bravo (1/35) brought the defending champions back into the game by dismissing Rahul before Manish Pandey was dismissed.
Pretorius struck once again, accounting for compatriot de Kock as CSK continued to build pressure with good fielding.
Then, Lewis joined forces with Badoni to work for LSG.
Just nine were needed in the last over and Mukesh Chaudhary bowled a couple of wides, Badoni hit a six to level the score and then kept his side over the line.
Earlier, Uthappa gave CSK a solid start with a 27-ball 50, before Dubey made 49 off 30 balls, while skipper Ravindra Jadeja (17 off 9) and MS Dhoni (16 off 6), who scored a scintillating performance at the top of the table, scored 50 runs off 27 balls. Hit two fours and a six. Provided the final climax.
Uthappa looked like a man on a mission as he slammed Avesh Khan (2/38) for back-to-back boundaries in the first two balls of the innings.
With the ball coming well on the bat, he blew it across the park.
CSK were dealt a blow when Bishnoi marked a straight hit Ruturaj Gaikwad (1) from backward point, which was well short of the crease in the third over.
But Uthappa and newcomer Moeen Ali (35) continued the attack with only fours and sixes.
The Super Giants bowlers had no answer for both as CSK scored 73 for one at the end of the powerplay.
Uthappa hit eight fours and a six in total, while Moeen hit four fours and two sixes during his 22-ball knock.
It was again Bishnoi who delivered the second breakthrough when he trapped Uthappa’s leg before with a swift delivery, soon after the batsman reached his half-century.
Dubey released Uthappa in the ninth over with three fours off Dushmantha Chameera (0/49), who was battling his line. It was a bad day for the Sri Lankan as he repeatedly hit the ball in the ground, leaving easy boundaries.
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Poor fielding made matters worse for LSG, with the bowlers struggling after getting nothing off the wicket.
Dube and Ambati Rayudu (27) then put on a 60-run partnership to put CSK on a big score.
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