Needing 17 runs off the final over, Stoinis rose to the occasion, smashing a boundary and three consecutive fours to seal the victory with six wickets in hand.
Marcus Stoinis of the Lucknow Super Giants shattered the Chennai Super Kings’ stronghold at Chepauk with a stunning display of skill and determination. Leading his team to victory in a record-breaking run-chase, Stoinis left the CSK fans in disbelief as he orchestrated a remarkable win with just three balls to spare. Facing a daunting task of chasing 211 runs, Lucknow Super Giants lost Quinton de Kock for a duck in the very first over. Despite this setback and the early dismissal of skipper KL Rahul, Stoinis anchored the innings brilliantly, reaching his fifty while forging partnerships. Partnering with Nicholas Pooran, the duo’s explosive 70-run stand off just 34 balls set the stage for Stoinis to unleash his onslaught.
Stoinis continued his assault, reaching his maiden IPL century with sheer determination. Supported by Deepak Hooda’s contributions, Stoinis guided his team to victory as the CSK bowlers struggled to contain the onslaught. Needing 17 runs off the final over, Stoinis rose to the occasion, smashing a boundary and three consecutive fours to seal the victory with six wickets in hand. His unbeaten knock of 124 runs off just 63 balls, featuring 13 boundaries and six sixes, will be etched in IPL history.
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In contrast, the Chennai Super Kings’ batting innings began on a shaky note with Ajinkya Rahane departing early. Ruturaj Gaikwad, accompanied by Daryl Mitchell, steadied the ship, with Gaikwad’s blazing fifty off 28 balls showcasing his prowess. Despite Ravindra Jadeja’s struggles, Gaikwad found support in Shivam Dube, whose aggressive batting propelled CSK to a formidable total of 210 runs.
However, their efforts fell short against Stoinis’ brilliance as the Lucknow Super Giants clinched victory by six wickets, marking a historic win at Chepauk and dismantling the Chennai Super Kings’ fortress.
In the Post Match Presentation:
Marcus Stoinis (Player of the Match): “In these competitions, there are plenty of better opening batters better than me so I’ll leave it to them. It’s not just go go go, there were some bowlers we wanted to target and some bowlers we wanted to be more cautious against. There was a phase where I wasn’t able to hit the boundaries so it was great Pooran could come in and take the pressure off. Lots of ebbs and flows, just tried to keep it in control. You’re planning and structuring, you’re not liking certain bowlers and you’re liking others more. I do think T20 cricket is changing, the scores that have been scored, the impact player role and how teams are taking on the bowlers. I’ve got a great relationship with the coach (Australian Head coach), me not getting a contract, I knew that long ago. It’s great to let the kids come in and get an opportunity, I’m happy to let them take my spot. But on the playing front, I’d like to play and contribute.”
KL Rahul (LSG Captain): Very special, especially when it’s a game like that. We were way behind the game when we were batting so it was very special to pull it off. It was a fresh start, both teams started off at 0. Different conditions here. I think they started off really well and put us under pressure. 170-180 would’ve been a great total here but they batted really well. Full credit to Stoinis. It was not just power hitting, it was very clever batting. He picked his bowlers and played very well. (On sending Stoinis at 3) We felt like we needed to be braver and capitalize the powerplay and needed 1 power-hitter in the top-3. I’ve realized that T20 cricket has changed in the past couple of years, 170-180 doesn’t always cut it. You need to go harder in the powerplay and the impact player rule also gives you a bit more depth. (On the change to his own batting) Haven’t played much T20 cricket so happy that it’s coming off. There’s no set plan, apart from the openers, everyone else is ready to go out whenever we feel it’s right. We’re going to keep it flexible. (On his catch earlier) Not bad, not bad… I hope I get the catch of the tournament award (smiles), I was just being modest.
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