Kartik Sharma, Shivam Dube Power CSK to Competitive 187 Against LSG

Lucknow, May 2026 : Young batter Kartik Sharma produced the best T20 knock of his career with a sparkling 71, while Shivam Dube unleashed a late assault in the death overs as Chennai Super Kings posted a fighting 187/5 against Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL clash at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium on Friday.

After opting to bat first on a red-soil surface that offered early assistance to the bowlers, CSK recovered strongly from a shaky start through a brilliant partnership between Kartik and Dewald Brevis before Dube’s explosive finishing ensured the visitors crossed the 180-run mark.

Kartik was the standout performer for Chennai, hammering 71 off just 42 deliveries. His innings was packed with six boundaries and five towering sixes as he maintained an impressive strike rate above 169. The right-hander initially struggled to find timing but gradually settled in and took complete control of the innings with fearless strokeplay against the Lucknow pace attack.

The innings began aggressively for Chennai as Sanju Samson attacked Mohammed Shami in the opening over, collecting three boundaries to give the side quick momentum. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad also looked positive at the crease and found the fence against Akash Singh.

However, Lucknow struck back quickly through left-arm pacer Akash Singh, who dismantled the CSK top order in a superb spell. Gaikwad attempted a pull shot but mistimed it straight to mid-on. Samson also failed to capitalise on his brisk start, holing out in the deep while trying to flick another delivery from Akash.

CSK’s troubles deepened when Urvil Patel departed cheaply. Attempting an aggressive pull shot, he found the fielder at deep mid-wicket, once again giving Akash his third wicket of the powerplay and reducing Chennai to a difficult position.

With the team under pressure, Kartik Sharma and Dewald Brevis came together to rebuild the innings. The duo stitched a crucial 70-run partnership in just 44 balls, shifting momentum back in Chennai’s favour.

Brevis looked aggressive from the outset and announced himself with a huge six off Akash Singh. The South African batter scored 25 runs from only 16 balls before Mohammed Shami dismissed him with a well-directed short delivery that resulted in a catch at fine leg.

At the other end, Kartik continued to flourish. As he gained confidence, he began attacking almost every bowler introduced by Lucknow. He brought up his second half-century of the season in style, reaching the milestone in 35 balls with a towering six off Shami.

Kartik then targeted Shahbaz Ahmed and Prince Yadav with a series of boundaries and powerful hits over the ropes. His aggressive approach helped Chennai accelerate during the middle overs and laid a solid platform for a strong finish.

Eventually, Shahbaz Ahmed ended Kartik’s entertaining knock, but by then the youngster had already done significant damage and pushed CSK towards a commanding total.

The finishing duties were then handled by Shivam Dube and Prashant Veer. Initially, the pair found it difficult to score freely against the pace of Mayank Yadav, who bowled sharp deliveries in the closing stages.

However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the final two overs. Veer contributed valuable runs with an inventive scoop shot off Shami that raced to the boundary. Dube then exploded in the final over against Prince Yadav.

The powerful left-hander smashed two sixes and two boundaries off the last four deliveries of the innings, collecting 23 runs from the over and giving Chennai a massive boost at the finish. Dube remained unbeaten on 32 from just 16 balls, while Veer supported him with an unbeaten 13 off 10 deliveries.

Chennai added 60 runs in the last five overs, transforming what looked like a modest total into a highly competitive score on a surface expected to aid bowlers later in the evening.

For Lucknow, Akash Singh was the pick of the bowlers with impressive figures of 3/26, while Mohammed Shami chipped in with one wicket.

Brief Scores: Chennai Super Kings 187/5 in 20 overs (Kartik Sharma 71, Shivam Dube 32 not out, Dewald Brevis 25; Akash Singh 3/26, Mohammed Shami 1/41) against Lucknow Super Giants.

Team Maverick.