Lucknow Super Giants delivered a masterclass in power-hitting on Friday night, crushing Chennai Super Kings by seven wickets in a pivotal IPL 2026 clash at the Ekana Stadium. The victory not only thrilled the home crowd but also threw a major wrench into CSK's playoff ambitions.
Chasing a competitive 188, LSG got off to a blistering start thanks to Mitchell Marsh, who played the innings of the tournament so far. The Australian all-rounder was in devastating form, smashing 90 off just 38 balls. His opening partnership with Josh Inglis (who played a steady supporting role) was worth 135 runs, effectively putting the game to bed inside the powerplay.
The defining moment came when Marsh targeted CSK bowler Anshul Kamboj, hammering him for 28 runs in a single over as Lucknow raced to 86/0 in six overs. CSK briefly threatened a comeback by picking up three quick wickets—including both openers—for just nine runs, but then Nicholas Pooran took center stage.
After a slow start, Pooran exploded in brutal fashion. He smashed four consecutive sixes off Kamboj to finish the match in the 17th over, with 20 balls to spare. Kamboj's night turned into a nightmare—he conceded eight sixes in total, equaling the IPL record for the most sixes given away by a bowler in a single innings (matching Yash Dayal's unwanted feat against KKR in 2023).
Earlier, CSK had looked on track for a strong total after recovering from early trouble. Reduced to 52/3 in 7.2 overs, thanks to some sharp bowling from LSG's Akash Singh (3/26), the Super Kings needed a hero. They found one in Kartik Sharma, who scored a fighting 71. Kartik initially struggled against short-pitched deliveries but found his rhythm with a six off spinner Shahbaz Ahmed. He followed up with two more boundaries and a six over long-on to steady the innings.
Kartik reached his fifty in style, smashing Mohammed Shami for six, and added 70 runs with Dewald Brevis for the fourth wicket. Shami eventually dismissed Brevis with a short ball, but Kartik's knock ensured CSK posted 187/5—a score that seemed imposing until Marsh and Pooran made it look ordinary.
For LSG fans, this was a night to remember. For CSK, the playoff door just got a little narrower.