Lucknow: Mitchell Marsh produced a stunning power-hitting display as Lucknow Super Giants crushed Chennai Super Kings by seven wickets in an IPL 2026 clash at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Friday.
Chasing 188, LSG rode on Marsh’s blistering 90 off just 38 balls to seal the contest with 20 deliveries to spare. Josh Inglis chipped in with a composed 36 off 32 balls, while Nicholas Pooran remained unbeaten on 32 from 17 deliveries as the hosts finished at 188/3 in 16.4 overs.
Marsh and Inglis laid the perfect foundation with a dominant 135-run opening partnership that dismantled the CSK bowling attack. Marsh took complete control during the power play and reached his fifty in only 21 balls.
The Australian all-rounder unleashed carnage in the fifth over, hammering Anshul Kamboj for four consecutive sixes and a boundary to collect 28 runs from the over. LSG stormed to 67 without loss after five overs and further accelerated to 86/0 at the end of the power play.
The assault continued beyond the field restrictions as LSG raced to 124/0 after 10 overs, leaving CSK struggling for answers.
Inglis played the supporting role effectively before falling to Mukesh Choudhary in the 12th over after scoring 36. Marsh departed on the very next delivery in unfortunate fashion when a drive from Pooran ricocheted off Mukesh Choudhary’s fingertips onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end, catching him outside his crease.
Marsh’s explosive knock included nine fours and seven sixes.
CSK briefly clawed back into the contest when Spencer Johnson dismissed Abdul Samad for seven, but Pooran quickly shut the door on any comeback hopes.
With 24 required from the final four overs, Pooran tore into Kamboj, smashing four successive sixes to finish the chase in emphatic fashion.
Mukesh Choudhary and Spencer Johnson picked up a wicket each for CSK.
Earlier, CSK posted 187/5 after being put in to bat. Openers Sanju Samson and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad started steadily, taking the visitors to 20 without loss in two overs.
LSG pacer Akash Singh then triggered a collapse, dismissing Gaikwad for 13 in the fourth over before removing Samson for 20 two overs later. He struck again in the eighth over to send back Urvil Patel for six, reducing CSK to 61/3.
At the halfway stage, CSK were struggling at 71/3 before Kartik Sharma and Dewald Brevis rebuilt the innings with a crucial partnership.
Kartik brought up his second half-century of the season in 35 balls during the 15th over, but Mohammed Shami removed Brevis for 25 in the same over to halt the recovery.
Shahbaz Ahmed then delivered another key breakthrough by dismissing Kartik for a well-compiled 71 in the 16th over as CSK slipped to 142/5.
Late hitting from Shivam Dube, who remained unbeaten on 32 off 16 balls, along with Prashant Veer’s unbeaten 13, lifted CSK to a competitive total.
Akash Singh was the standout bowler for LSG with figures of 3/26, while Shami and Shahbaz claimed one wicket each.
The defeat leaves CSK sixth on the IPL 2026 points table with 12 points from 12 matches, while LSG boosted their playoff hopes with a commanding victory.
