Mitchell Marsh blazed a sensational 90 off 38 balls to anchor a dominant 135-run opening stand with Josh Inglis, propelling Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to a commanding seven-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2026 at the Ekana Stadium, Lucknow on Friday, 16 May. Chasing 188, LSG overhauled the target in just 16.4 overs, sealing their fourth win of the season.

The Partnership That Won the Game

Marsh's assault was complemented by a measured 36 from Inglis, whose role in the chase was as crucial as it was understated. The Australian all-rounder credited his opening partner for creating the conditions that allowed him to play freely.

'Sometimes it can work like that when someone is really going at one end. I thought Josh played the situation really well during our partnership and allowed me to keep going. He rotated strike at the right times, and he's a really smart cricketer. It's always a pleasure to bat with him,' Marsh said in a video posted by LSG on X.

Marsh on LSG's Difficult Season Start

Marsh acknowledged that LSG's batting unit had endured a frustrating start to the tournament but expressed satisfaction at recent contributions. 'It's been a couple of good knocks now at this ground. Obviously, it was a little frustrating for all of our batters at the start of the tournament. It's been nice to contribute in the last few games and nice to get a win. It's been a hard slog for our team, so I'm proud of the boys,' he said.

He also defended the squad's quality despite inconsistent results earlier in the campaign. 'I think on paper we've been a very good side. In the IPL, two or three bad overs can lose you a game, and sometimes the opposition also plays brilliant cricket,' Marsh added. 'It's a very close tournament. We've had our chances in a few games, so it's nice to get a win tonight.'

How CSK Set Up the Chase

CSK posted 187/5 in their allotted overs, with Kartik Sharma top-scoring on 71 and Shivam Dube remaining unbeaten on 32. It was a competitive total on the Ekana surface, but Marsh's explosive start rendered the target academic within the powerplay phase.

What This Win Means for LSG

The victory is LSG's fourth of the season and arrives at a critical juncture in the IPL 2026 points table race. This is the second time this season that the Ekana Stadium has yielded a big performance from Marsh, underlining his comfort with the conditions at home. With the tournament tightly contested, every win carries significant weight in the playoff equation. LSG will look to carry this momentum into their next fixture.