In a thrilling encounter at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Marcus Stoinis’ maiden IPL century propelled Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to a remarkable six-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Tuesday.
Chasing a daunting target of 211 set by CSK, LSG openers Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul provided a solid start. However, de Kock’s early dismissal brought Stoinis to the crease, and the Australian all-rounder produced a magnificent innings.
Stoinis’ onslaught began early, smashing a six and two fours off the first over he faced. He continued to dominate the CSK bowlers, hitting 10 boundaries and five maximums during his 63-ball stay at the crease.
Despite losing Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal, LSG remained in contention thanks to Stoinis’ heroics. Nicholas Pooran joined the party with a quickfire 32 off 18 balls, while Deepak Hooda contributed a crucial 13 off 6 deliveries.
With 17 runs required off the final over, Stoinis took matters into his own hands. He dispatched Mustafizur Rahman for a six and a four before sealing the victory with an authoritative pull over backward square leg.
Stoinis’ unbeaten 124 not only guided LSG to victory but also set a new record for the highest individual score in an IPL chase, surpassing Paul Valthaty’s 120* in 2011. His brilliant innings helped LSG overcome Gaikwad’s brilliant 108 not out, which had earlier lifted CSK to 210/4.
This victory marked LSG’s first-ever win over CSK in three meetings this season and strengthened their position in the IPL standings. Stoinis’ extraordinary performance, coupled with the team’s resilience, sets the stage for an exciting second half of the tournament.
