Evin Lewis, who looks up to Chris Gayle for inspiration, batted, or rather, belted the ball like the legendary Jamaican to power Lucknow Super Giants to an incredible win over Chennai Super Kings in the IPL on Thursday.
Lewis blazed away to an unbeaten 23-ball 55 as LSG, from a hopeless situation, overhauled an imposing target of 211 with three balls to spare.
Openers KL Rahul (40) and Quinton de Kock (61) laid the foundation with a rollicking stand but the increasing required run rate made the task extremely difficult for LSG.
However, Lewis had other ideas and along with the talented Ayush Badoni, who played his part with a nine-ball 19, made it look quite easy in the end.
The script changed completely in the blink of an eye as Lewis and Badoni smashed Shivam Dube for 25 runs in the penultimate over to bring the equation down to nine from the last six balls.
For sure, handing the ball to Dube to bowl the 19th over will be debated for a while.
In all, Lewis hit six fours and three sixes as first-timers LSG recorded their maiden win in the lucrative league. Badoni hit two maximums, which turned out to be crucial in the context of the final result.
Earlier, leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi (2/24) did a tremendous job with the wet ball in difficult conditions, even as Robin Uthappa turned back the clock with his beautiful yet brutal assault to propel CSK to a strong total.
Rahul and de Kock were off to a flyer, punishing the CSK bowlers into submission.
The duo was at its destructive best, dealing only in four and sixes and at one point it looked like they were going to finish the game in quick time.
But Dwaine Pretorius (2/31) was right on his mark as he got rid of Rahul before Dwayne Bravo (1/35) engineered Manish Pandey's dismissal to bring the defending champions back in the game.
Pretorius struck once again, accounting for compatriot de Kock as CSK continued to put pressure with good fielding.
Then, Lewis joined forces with Badoni to do the job for LSG.
Debutant Mukesh Choudhary bowls the last over and starts with a WIDE delivery outside off and follows up with a WIDE down the leg side. Badoni smashes the first ball off the over over deep fine leg for SIX, scores are level.
Badoni hits the winning run and Lucknow register their first win in IPL 2022.
Shivam Dube, right-arm medium, comes into the attack and Evin Lewis and Badoni smash 26 runs in his over. Lucknow Super Giants need 9 runs in 6 balls
Dwayne Bravo becomes the highest wicket taker In IPL history after taking the wicket of Deepak Hooda.
Dwayne Bravo [2.0-0-12-0] is back into the attack and concedes a single each off the first two deliveries. Hooda smashes the third ball straight down the ground with immense power while Lewis hammers the 5th ball towards deep extra cover for FOUR.
TIMEOUT TAKEN
LSG: 156/3 after 16 Overs, need 55 more runs to win in 24 balls
Despite losing wickets in search of big runs, Lucknow continue to smash boundaries as they are trying hard to keep required net run rate in check. After de Kock's dismissal, Deepak Hooda partners Evin Lewis at the crease.
LSG: 144/3 after 15 overs, need 67 runs to win in 30 balls
Chennai Super Kings bring themselves back into the game with two quick wickets. Dwaine Pretorius breaks the 99-run opening stand as he gets the wicket of Rahul, who tries to hit a boundary.
Manish Pandey comes next and Tushar Deshpande ends his 6-ball stay at the crease. Evin Lewis and de Kock are trying to rebuild Lucknow innings.
Lucknow 114-2 after 12 overs, need 97 more runs to win in 48 balls.
Dwayne Bravo comes into attack and concedes run only in singles as de Kock completes his FIFTY.
Lucknow Super Giants 98-0 after 10 overs, need 113 more runs to win in 60 balls.
At the first strategic Timeout, Lucknow Super Giants' chase is right on track as KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock stitch a 90-run stand in 9 Overs. Chennai are in a desperate need of wickets. Notably, both the openers are dropped one time each during the quickfire stand.
LSG 90-0 in 9 Overs
Chasing a massive target, Lucknow Super Giants are off to a great start as both the openers hitting in tandem. Moeen Ali drops de Kock at 20 runs as he missed a straight forward chance, denying Bravo his 171th wicket in Indian Premier League.
Lucknow 55-0 at the end of powerplay
Jadeja persists with Tushar Deshpande and de Kock smashes three boundaries in the over. Lucknow off to a perfect start as de Kock accumulate 12 runs in the over.
Lucknow Super Giants 36-0 after 4 overs.
The debutant Mahesh continues and de Kock collects a single off the first delivery. Rahul defends the next ball and slaps the third ball over extra cover for a SIX. Rahul slices the next ball towards deep backward point before taking a couple of runs off the last delivery.
Lucknow 24-0 after 3 overs
Tushar Deshpande, right-arm medium, comes into the attack and de Kock fails to score off the first two deliveries while whacks the third one towards deep mid-wicket for FOUR.
Deshpande sprays the 5th ball on the pads and Lucknow earns FOUR leg byes. Tushar ends the over a peach of delivery.
Lucknow 11-0 after two overs
KL Rahul and Quinyon de Kock open the innings for Lucknow. Mukesh Choudhary opens the attack and concedes only two singles in the over
Andrew Tye bowls the last over and gets the wicket of Jadeja off the second delivery after the southpaw hammers first ball of the over for FOUR. Jadeja c Manish Pandey b Tye 17(9) [4s-3]
Dwaine Pretorius, right handed bat, comes to the crease and fails to put bat on ball as Tye nails the yorker perfectly.
Bravo comes at the crease and hits the yorker towards deep mid-wicket for a single. A juicy full toss outside off and Dhoni smashes it without much timing towards sweeper cover for a couple of runs. Tye goes for a wide yorker outside off but misses the length completely, Dhoni guides it over short third man for FOUR.
CSK 210-7 after 20 Overs
Avesh Khan comes into the attack and gets the prized wicket of Shivam Dube, who was hitting sixes at will. Shivam Dube c Lewis b Avesh Khan 49(30) [4s-5 6s-2]
MS Dhoni announces his arrival at the crease with a powerful six over extra cover. Avesh misses the length again and Dhoni hits it over short third man for FOUR. Two DOT BALLS to end the over.
CSK 199-5 after 19 overs
Dushmanth Chameera comes into the attack and continues to leak boundaries as Jadeja and Shivam Dube hammers him for a FOUR and a SIX, collecting a total of 16 runs in the over.
CSK 188-4 after 18 Overs
Krunal Pandya comes into the attack and Shivam Dube smashes the 2nd ball for FOUR while Rayudu wallopes the 4th ball for SIX.
Meanwhile, Bishoni continues to impress as he castles Rayudu, who is trying to go for a big hit but misses the ball completely. Ravindra Jadeja comes at the crease and takes an easy single before hitting the last ball down the ground for FOUR.
CSK 172-4 after 17 overs
Andrew Tye comes into the attack after the strategic break and concedes 11 runs as Rayudu smashes the fifth ball for SIX.
CSK 147-3 after 15 Overs
Shivam Dube and Ambati Rayudu continue to find boundaries.
CSK 136-3 after 14 Overs. TIMEOUT TAKEN
Despite Chennai finding a boundary everyover, Ravi Bishnoi continues to impress with his line and length, beating CSK batters on two occasions.
CSK 118-3 after 12 Overs
Avesh Khan provides Lucknow the much-needed breakthrough as he cleans up Moeen Ali.
Ambati Rayudu replaces Moeen in the middle and finds a boundary as he guides the bumper over the keeper for FOUR.
CSK 112-3 after 11 Overs
Chennai continue to find an odd boundary every over. Despite a good over from Bishnoi, Moeen Ali and Shivam Dube collect 7 runs in the over.
CSK 106-2 after 10 Overs
Shivam Dube continuing from where Moeen Ali left. He smashes two back-to-back boundaries off Chameera at the start of the over and finds another off the penaltimate over.
CSK 99-2 after 9 Overs
Robin Uthappa and Moeen Ali continue to collect at least a boundary in an over. Ravi Bishnoi comes into the attack in the 8th over and Uthappa clips the ball on the pads towards deep backward square leg for a couple of runs, thus, completes his FIFTY.
Bishoni deceives Uthappa with a googly followed by a loud appeal, but umpire remains unmoved. Rahul takes review and it is hitting STUMPS. Uthappa departs after a mind-wobbling fifty. Uthappa lbw b Ravi Bishnoi 50(27) [4s-8 6s-1]
Andrew Tye continues and Uthappa hammers first two ball for glorious boundaries before Tye follows up with a bumper.
But Uthappa ramps the next ball over fine leg for FOUR and takes a quick double off the 5th delivery. Uthappa ends the over with a pull shot towards deep backward square leg for FOUR.
CSK 57-1 after 5 Overs
Avesh Khan returns and leaks 11 runs as Uthappa smashes the first ball for FOUR while Moeen Ali smacks the 4th ball for SIX.
CSK 39-1 after 4 Overs
Three new bowlers in the three overs bowled so far.
Andrew Tye comes into the attack and the Australian stems the run flow. Ruturaj Gaikwad runout. Gaikwad run out (Ravi Bishnoi) 1(4)
Moeen Ali comes at the crease and fails to score off any of the three remaining deliveries.
CSK 28-1 after three overs
Lucknow using the hard length ploy against Chennai batters. But they are bowling too short, thus gifting runs in extras.
Vintage Uthappa is on display at Brabourne Stadium as the batter flicks Dushmanth Chameera on two ocassions.
CSK 26-0 after 2 Overs
Lucknow captain Rahul is not happy with the ball as the match begins. Avesh starts with a freebie on the pads and Uthappa flicks over square leg for FOUR.
Uthappa cuts the second ball through backward point for FOUR, back-to-back boundaries for veteran Indian batter. Avesh Khan follows up with two good deliveries, Uthappa defends the first while tries to duck under the second but the ball hit his helmet.
CSK 14-0 after 1 Over
Umpire Rod Tucker and KL Rahul are having an animated chat as Avesh Khan set to bowl the first over. The new ball is being changed, may be the seam is not in good condition.
KL Rahul wins the toss and decides to bowl first
Andrew Tye gets the debut cap ahead of LSG vs CSK toss.
Here's what Graeme Swann said at pitch report
This pitch has had a bit of water put on it since the other day. It's definitely greener. Reckon it's not quite as hard. Wouldn't be surprised if it's a good batting wicket, but the seamers but just get a little bit if they pitch it up, might just nibble off a length
CSK would also look to put up a much better show with the bat after they managed only 131 in the first game. With Moeen Ali, a pinch-hitter available for selection alongside Dwaine Pretorius, they would indeed heave a sigh of relief.
In the first game, save a vintage Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the other batters faltered – be it Ruturaj Gaikwad, Robin Uthappa, Devon Conway or Ambati Raya