Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bounced back from a disappointing batting performance to snatch a thrilling 10-run win over the favourites Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the 26th match of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 Cricket Tournament at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Wednesday.
LSG were restricted to 154 for seven after they were invited to bat first but fought back magnificently through their bowlers and curtailed the powerful RR batting line-up for 144 for six from their 20 overs.
Marcus Stoinis (2/28) and Avesh Khan (3/25) were the pick of the bowlers for LSG, with the latter defending 18 runs off the last over as RR fumbled during what looked like an easy chase.
RR openers Jos Buttler (40) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (44) started the chase cautiously, before the latter waded into Yudhvir Singh in the third over, scoring a six and a four.
Buttler employed the reverse sweep to great effect to score boundaries against LSG’s Impact Player Amit Mishra as Royals’ opening duo got their side to a good start.
Buttler’s uncharacteristically slow knock came to an end when he mistimed a Stoinis delivery straight to Ravi Bishnoi at deep mid-wicket.
Riyan Parag and Devdutt Padikkal were left with too much to do in the death overs as LSG bowlers delivered their side a win.
Earlier, RR bowling unit was at its restrictive best as it contained LSG to 154 after winning the toss.
LSG openers – K. L. Rahul (39) and Kyle Mayers (51) – found it hard to get going against some incisive new ball bowling from Trent Boult and Sandeep Sharma.
The first sign of aggression for LSG came from the bat of the left-handed Mayers, who crashed Boult beyond the cover fence.
Ravichandran Ashwin dented Lucknow further with two blows. First, he forced Deepak Hooda (2) into a false shot, resulting in Hetmyer holding on to a skier at deep square-leg.
Next, the off-spinner slid a fast one underneath the bat of Mayers, who had just got to his fifty, to have him bowled.
None of the LSG batters found it comfortable against the wily Ashwin, who kept things tight with his accurate bowling. The 36-year-old conceded just six runs in the 18th over against Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran.
Chief scores
Lucknow Super Giants: 154/7 in 20 overs (K. L. Rahul 39, Kyle Mayers 51, Marcus Stoinis 21, Nicholas Pooran 29, Ravichandran Ashwin 2/23)
Rajasthan Royals: 144/6 in 20 overs (Yashaswi Jaiswal 44, Jos Buttler 40, Devdutt Padikkal 26, Avesh Khan 3/25, Marcus Stoinis 2/28). C.D.
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