After their opening loss to Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings ensured Dolphins would not be in a position to do an Andre Russell on them. They blasted their way to 242 for 6, equaling the highest total in the Champions League T20, as Suresh Raina led with a 43-ball 90. Dolphins tried hard, but even a reply of 188 meant a crushing margin of victory for Super Kings.
In previous seasons, the side's approach was to build steadily and accelerate,
but the opening pair of Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum has given them enhanced freedom to attack from the first ball. Super Kings lost Smith early against Dolphins but that did not stop them from reaching 100 by the ninth over. The Super Kings line-up is packed with hitters, which means an onslaught can get difficult to contain for the opposition if multiple batsmen fire. Brendon McCullum and Suresh Raina are dangerous at the top of the order.
That is something Lahore Lions will also have to watch out for. Lions did not start badly at all in their first group match against Kolkata Knight Riders as Ahmed Shehzad dominated an opening stand of 50. They were faced with Sunil Narine and the debutant
Knight Riders themselves went from 100 for 0 to 147 for 6 to make the chase interesting. Unlike them, Super Kings are not prone to such collapses, and Lions will have to put in a sharply improved performance in all departments if they are to challenge MS Dhoni's men.
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