CSK look to continue playoffs push against eliminated LSG

CSK face LSG in a crucial encounter

Lucknow: Still in the hunt for a playoff berth despite an erratic campaign, Chennai Super Kings will look to continue their recent resilient run when they take on the already-eliminated Lucknow Super Giants in an IPL match here on Friday.

While CSK have managed to stay afloat with timely wins in the second half of the season, LSG’s campaign has unravelled due to a string of ordinary performances.

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For Chennai, the equation remains straightforward — win remaining matches and hope other results end up in their favour. CSK are currently placed fifth in the pecking order with six wins from 11 matches.

Despite frequent criticism over their lack of finishing firepower, the five-time champions have shown fight through crucial contributions from Sanju Samson, Urvil Patel, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and a few other emerging players.

Young batter Urvil’s fearless approach at the top has added much-needed momentum to CSK’s powerplay scoring. On Friday, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma and Dewald Brevis also have key roles to play in the middle overs on a surface expected to aid stroke-making.

The bowling unit, however, has received a big blow recently with all-rounder Jamie Overton ruled out of the remainder of IPL due to a thigh injury and returning to the UK for further assessment.

This significant blow affects CSK’s playoff push, marking yet another injury setback this season.

CSK’s bowling was largely defined by the standout performances of Overton before his injury. He was providing crucial middle-overs breakthroughs and took 14 wickets in 10 matches to emerge as one of CSK’s top bowlers this season.

However, despite a campaign beset by injuries to important players, a disciplined, and varied attack, including Akeal Hosein, has helped the side register vital wins.

More often than not, Mukesh Choudhary and Anshul Kamboj have done the job expected of them and Afghanistan’s left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad has also been effective.

Lucknow, on the other hand, have little except pride to play for after failing to build any momentum through the season.

Captain Rishabh Pant’s prolonged poor form has hurt the side badly, while their bowling attack has struggled to defend totals or contain opposition batters in crucial phases, including in their first-leg game against CSK, when they failed to defend 203.

Josh Inglis, Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh have provided sporadic moments of brilliance, but LSG’s inability to perform as a collective unit has left them languishing at the bottom of the 10-team table.

With the pressure of qualification no longer hanging over them, LSG could nevertheless prove dangerous at home, especially with the Ekana track increasingly favouring batters.

CSK will also be wary of complacency against a side that now has the freedom to play without fear, and the home team will also back itself to exploit familiar conditions better than CSK.

Teams :

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Dewald Brevis, MS Dhoni, Urvil Patel, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Ayush Mhatre, Shreyas Gopal, Jamie Overton, Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Mukesh Choudhary, Noor Ahmad, Akeal Hosein, Prashant Veer, Matthew Short, Sarfaraz Khan, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar, Zakary Foulkes, Spencer Johnson, Kartik Sharma, Aman Khan.

Lucknow Super Giants: Rishabh Pant (c&wk), Abdul Samad, Akshat Raghuvanshi, Ayush Badoni, Mukul Choudhary, Himmat Singh, Josh Inglis (wk), Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Arshin Kulkarni, George Linde, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Akash Singh, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Shami, Mohsin Khan, Anrich Nortje, Prince Yadav, Digvesh Rathi, Manimaran Siddharth, Arjun Tendulkar, Naman Tiwari, Mayank Yadav.

Match starts: 7.30pm IST.