It was a run feast in Chennai as Lucknow Super Giants, riding on Marcus Stoinis' unbeaten century, outclassed the Chennai Super Kings by six wickets.
Ruturaj Gaikwad's first century as CSK captain powered the hosts to a huge 210/4, but LSG didn't give up hope and made a stunning late charge in the death overs courtesy of Stoinis, who hit a brilliant 124 not out from 63 balls.
Shivam Dube continued his belligerent form with the bat and Nicholas Pooran once again made the difference with the bat in the closing stages.
CSK vs LSG: The Best Knocks!
Marcus Stoinis
Stoinis struck his maiden IPL century to power Lucknow Super Giants to an incredible six wicket victory against the Chennai Super Kings -- their second win against the defending champions in the space of five days.
Stoinis smashed a brilliant 124 not out from 63 balls, with six sixes and 13 fours, as LSG staged a superb comeback in the final few overs to leave CSK stunned.
The Australian all-rounder bagged the record for the highest individual score in a run chase, beating the previous record held by Kings XI Punjab's Paul Valthaty, who had stroked 120 not out in 2011, against CSK in IPL 2011.
Stoinis had not been in great form coming into the game with just one fifty from the first seven games. Promoted to No. 3, Stoinis bounced back to form with a crucial match-winning knock which has pushed LSG into the top four, while CSK drop down to fifth.
Chasing a huge 211 for victory, LSG suffered an early blow when Quinton de Kock was dismissed for a duck off the third ball of the innings by Deepak Chahar.
Stoinis got going with a couple of boundaries off Deepak Chahar in the third over and then hit Shardul Thakur for two successive boundaries in the final over of Powerplay.
With K L Rahul also perishing early and Devdutt Padikkal struggling to get the boundaries, the pressure was on Stoinis to make headway in the middle overs.
He made a big statement as he targetted the CSK spinners. He lofted Ravindra Jadeja for a six over long on in his first over and smashed Moeen Ali for a four and a six in the next over, forcing CSK to alter their gameplan.
It was a one man show from Stoinis in the middle overs, who raced to fifty from 26 balls. He dominated the 55-run third wicket stand from 38 balls with Padikkal, with theleft-hander managing just 13 from 19 balls.
The asking rate had nearly reached 15 with LSG needing 113 from the last eight overs. It was at this stage that Stoinis decided to cut loose. He slammed Tushar Deshpande for a six and a boundary in the 13th over and then blasted Mustafizur for a huge six straight down the ground.
Nicholas Pooran blasted a quickfire 34 from 15 balls to take some pressure off Stoinis in the closing stages.
After the West Indian's departure in the 17th over, Stoinis again took charge. He swung Mustafizur over midwicket for a six and two runs throught point saw him bring up his century from 56 balls, in the 18th over.
CSK still held the upper hand, with 32 needed from the last two overs. But Stoinis settled the deal as he hit Matheesha Pathirana's first ball for a four through the covers and a couple of fours from Deepak Hooda put LSG on course.
LSG needed 15 from the final over. But Stoinis put the result beyond doubt from the first two balls as he smashed Mustafizur for a straight six over long-on and then hammered a yorker back past for a four.
The Bangladesh pacer then bowled a no ball which Stoinis eased for a four through third man and pulled the next for a boundary to finish off things in grand style.
Courtesy of Stoinis' stunning assault, LSG raked up 49 from the last 15 balls to register the highest run chase at the CSK's home ground.
Nicholas Pooran
Pooran is enjoying a dream season. The big-hitting West Indian is on course for his best showing with the bat, having already tallied 280 runs in eight games at a strike rate of 169, with some quickfire cameos in the death overs.
CSK looked firmly in control with LSG facing a stiff task of having to score 87 from the last six overs.
Pooran along with Stoinis launched a superb counter-attack to get LSG back in the race. His stunning assault off Thakur in the 16th over was instrumental in the turnaround.
He hammered Thakur over the covers for a six before a misfield from Chahar gifted him a four followed by another six over the off-side to get 20 runs from the 16th over.
Pooran's 15-ball 34 proved to be vital as it helped LSG seize the momentum going into the last couple of overs before Stoinis provided the finishing touches.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Gaikwad is proving that he is a deserving captain as he slammed his second IPL century to power CSK to a huge total in front of their home fans.
Rutu dished out a special knock which not only frustrated the opposition bowlers but also shattered records. Gaikwad remained unbeaten on 108 as he along with the in-form Shivam Dube, took apart the LSG bowlers.
This was Gaikwad's second IPL century, and the first hundred by a CSK captain in the IPL.
CSK got off to a rocky start, with opener Ajinkya Rahane (1) departing in the first over and Daryl Mitchell also struggled before Gaikwad set about getting things back in order.
IPL 2024 has seen batters go hammer and tongs, but Gaikwad took the classic route, timing the ball to perfection and finding the gaps with ease. His fifty came off 28 deliveries.
He stitched together a nice partnership with Jadeja for the third wicket as the duo added 52 from 39 balls. Gaikwad then paired up with the big-hitting Dube to launch a stunning attack in the final overs. It was an all-out attack as the two batters put on 104 off just 46 for the fourth wicket.
The right-hander opened his boundary count with back-to-back fours off Mohsin Khan in the second over. After a lovely backfoot drive saw the ball racing past backward point for four, the opener drove the next one through covers.
Gaikwad once again found the gaps in the fourth over, hammering leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi for consecutive boundaries before he brought up his 17th IPL fifty off just 28 balls.
Gaikwad, who had been dealing in fours, found his first six of the innings in the 15th over when he hammered Stoinis over midwicket. The CSK skipper moved to 99 with a maximum off Yash Thakur and then reached his second ton in the IPL with a boundary over extra cover, from just 56 deliveries.
Scoring at a rate of 180, he scored an unbeaten 108 off 60, hitting 12 boundaries and three sixes.
Unfortunately, both of Gaikwad's centuries have resulted in defeats for CSK.
Shivam Dube
Dube walked in in the 12th over, and after getting off the mark with a single, hit the first six off the match off the fifth ball he faced, launching Stoinis straight down the ground for a huge six.
The left-hander kept the boundaries flowing and pairing up with the settled skipper at the other hand, he got off to another flying start this season.
Dube dished out a special assault for Yash Thakur as he hammered him for three maximums on the trot in the 16th over. After dispatching the slow ball over long-on for the first six of the over, he smashed the next one over mid wicket.
He wasn't done yet. Despite Thakur taking the pace off after being hit for two sixes on the trot, Dube still sent it sailing over the ropes over long on as Thakur leaked 19 runs in the over.
There was no stopping Dube as he subjected Mohsin Khan to some rough treatment in the 19th over. Welcoming Khan with a pulled shot over cow corner that went sailing over the ropes, Dube hammered him for another boundary down the ground followed by a flat six over long-on to race to his fifty from 22 balls.
In the final over, Dube pulled Stoinis over deep mid wicket for his sixth maximum of the evening, before he was run out after blasting his way to 66 from 27 balls, at a sizzling rate of 244.
CSK vs LSG: Who Played The Best Knock? Vote!
Photographs: BCCI
