Skipper Rishabh Pant returned to form with a vital half-century and guided Lucknow Super Giants to 166 for seven against Chennai Super Kings in an IPL match here on Monday.
Pant (63 off 49 balls) struggled initially but grew in confidence as the innings progressed and together with Abdul Samad (20) shared 53 runs for the fifth wicket off 33 balls.
Coming off five successive losses, CSK made a dream start after electing to bowl.
Left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed (1/38) struck the first blow in the opening over when he dismissed Aiden Markram with Rahul Tripathi taking a brilliant diving catch after sprinting backwards.
Two overs later, Anshul Kamboj removed the dangerous Nicholas Pooran LBW. Mitchell Marsh, returning to the side after sitting out of the last match due to personal reasons, took the attack to the opposition and smashed Khaleel for a four and six in consecutive balls.
Pant, who has struggled in the tournament so far, came out with intent and looked to get back to form with some unorthodox but confident hitting, which included a reverse scoop six off a length delivery from Jamie Overton.
Veteran Ravindra Jadeja (2/34) went for 10 runs in his first over but came back strongly in his next over to disturb the timbers of Marsh.
Young Ayush Badoni (22 off 17) meant business and played his shots from the onset. He hit Overton for two huge consecutive sixes — one over cover and the next over fine leg to take LSG to 95 for three after 12 overs.
Pant welcomed Matheesha Pathrina (2/45) with an exquisite cover drive to the boundary.
After surviving two chances — first when he was caught off a no ball and then a close LBW call off Jadeja in the 14th over — Badoni got out when the left-arm spinner foxed him completely and Dhoni did the rest behind the stumps.
Pant struggled against CSK spinners, especially Noor Ahmad, who returned brilliant figures of 4-0-13-0.
But with pace back into the attack in the form of Pathirana in the 18th over, Pant took his chances as he smashed the Sri Lankan for two sixes — the second one a one-handed pull over square-leg to bring up his fifty.
Pant and Samad were going great guns before Dhoni's brilliance ensured the dismissals of both the set batters.
Dhoni first hit the non-striker's end with a direct throw to dismiss Samad and then in the next ball took a fine high catch to end Pant's stay in the middle.
