Skipper MS Dhoni steers CSK home; Pant's fifty goes in vain

CSK's second win of the season comes after hosts muster a modest total despite Pant scoring 63

- Sharad Deep

LUCKNOW: MS Dhoni is still the game changer for five-time champions Chennai Super Kings. On Monday night, Dhoni showed his might with the keeping gloves as well as the bat to help the side notch up only their second win this IPL, beating Lucknow Super Giants by five wickets and preventing a third win on the trot at home.

Dhoni, with questions swirling around his diminishing batting prowess, mesmerized his fans with an unbeaten 11-ball 26 (4x4, 1x6) as CSK defeated LSG with three balls to spare. LSG posted a modest 166/7 on a slow pitch after Super Kings elected to bowl. CSK reached 168/5 in the final over.

CSK needed 56 runs from the last 30 deliveries, but Dhoni's unbeaten 57-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Shivam Dubey (43-37b, 3x4, 2x6) did the trick for the side.

Such a win was very much required for the side as CSK have had a miserable start to their season, losing five in a row for the first time ever in an IPL season after the opening win against Mumbai Indians.

CSK got off to a flying start with the pitch slowing down a bit as debutant Shaik Rasheed and Rachin Ravindra struck 52 runs in 29 balls before falling in quick succession.