The Chennai Super Kings player, Moeen Ali, helped the visiting team gain more speed in the latter part of their innings opposite the Lucknow Super Giants on Friday. Moeen Ali confidently faced leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi’s deliveries. Moeen’s actions gave CSK a vital energy boost when they really needed it.
CSK’s innings was already in its 18th over, and Moeen Ali had only scored 12 runs off his first 16 balls. He knew he had to elevate the ante, and he did so wonderfully, hitting Bishnoi for three sixes in a row. The first two were slog sweeps over cow corner, with the fielders in the deep simply watching.
Ravi Bishnoi appeared to be under strain as he dropped the following delivery shorter, which Mooen Ali smacked down the ground for another six. The southpaw attempted a fourth consecutive slog sweep but was caught in the deep by Ayush Badoni.
Here is the footage of Moeen Ali’s three sixes, followed by his dismissal:
The late flourish guaranteed that Moeen Ali concluded his innings with 30 runs off 20 balls. Ravi Bishnoi did not celebrate his wicket as he typically does, and that is understandable given the carnage that came before it.
Another MS Dhoni special powers CSK to 176/6
Ali’s wicket provided some relief for Lucknow, and they must have hoped that it would enable them limit the Super Kings to a total of about 160 runs. However, much as he did against the Mumbai Indians, MS Dhoni stepped out to bat and single-handedly turned the tide in Chennai’s favor.
The great wicketkeeper struck 28* off only nine deliveries, including three boundaries and two stunning sixes. One of Yash Thakur’s sixes flew past midwicket and traveled 108 meters.
Ravindra Jadeja led the batting with an unbeaten 57*(40), and CSK will hope the all-rounder applies that confidence to his bowling while defending the goal of 177.