CHENNAI: Marcus Stoinis’ century canceled out Ruturaj Gaikwad’s hundred as Lucknow Super Giants beat Chennai Super Kings by six wickets in the Indian Premier League on Tuesday.
Stoinis scored 124 not out off 63 balls, including 13 fours and six sixes, as Lucknow put dewy conditions to good use to successfully chase down the highest IPL total at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.
Rituraj Gaikwad was 108 not out as the hosts finished with 210-4 in 20 overs. Lucknow finished with 213-4 with three balls to spare.
Stoinis’ maiden hundred spearheaded the chase for the Super Giants after their openers fell cheaply — Quinton de Kock was out bowled for a three-ball duck, while Lokesh Rahul scored 16 runs.
Stoinis then countered with 50 off 26 balls, hitting six fours and two sixes. Impact player Devdutt Padikkal was a spectator at the other end, contributing only 13 runs in a 55-run partnership for the third wicket.
The latter was out in the 11th over, and Nicholas Pooran walked out to smash 34 off 15 balls. He put on 70 off 34 balls with Stoinis and their partnership changed the game for Lucknow.
Pooran fell after the strategic timeout, but Stoinis stayed on to the end to finish the job along with Deepak Hooda (17 not out).
In doing so, Stoinis brought up his maiden IPL century off 56 balls, finishing with the highest individual score in an IPL run-chase.
Earlier, Gaikwad had powered his way through a second IPL century off 56 balls. He hit 12 fours and three sixes in his 60-ball knock, anchoring the Chennai innings after Ajinkya Rahane (1) and Daryl Mitchell (11) fell cheaply.
Ravindra Jadeja was promoted up again, but he was caught behind for 16 runs.
Gaikwad was then aided by in-form Shivam Dube, who scored 66 off 27 balls.
Dube hit seven sixes as he put on 104 runs off 47 balls with Gaikwad for the fourth wicket, taking Chennai past the 200-mark.
It was in vain though, as the five-time champions lost a second game to Lucknow this season. Chennai is now down to fifth with eight points from eight games.
Lucknow jumped over Chennai into fourth, with 10 points from five wins in eight games.
