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Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) winning spree in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 continued as KL Rahul's men comprehensively defeated Gujarat Titans (GT) by 33 runs on April 7. While Lucknow captain KL Rahul acknowledged the win, he downplayed the significance of their record in defending targets. This victory marked their third consecutive win in the tournament. LSG defeated GT for the first time ever in their fifth attempt. Despite a modest batting performance by Lucknow, where only Marcus Stonis (58) shone brightly, KL Rahul (33) and Nicholas Pooran (33*) chipped in with valuable contributions to reach a defendable total of 163.
Gujarat Titans got off to a promising start with their openers, Shubman Gill (19) and Sai Sudharsan (31), putting up a 54-run partnership. However, the Lucknow bowlers staged a remarkable comeback, completely dismantling the Gujarat batting order and securing a well-deserved victory.
Yash Thakur's fifer sinks GT
The star of the bowling attack for Gujarat Titans was Yash Thakur, who ripped through the Lucknow Super Giants batting order with a phenomenal five-wicket haul. Krunal Pandya also played a crucial role, taking 3 wickets for just 11 runs. Rounding out the bowling effort were Ravi Bishnoi and Naveen-ul-Haq, who each picked up a wicket. This collective bowling performance restricted Lucknow to a mere 130 runs, leading Gujarat to a comfortable 33-run victory. Following the win, Lucknow captain KL Rahul lauded his young bowling attack. He highlighted the advantage of batting first, as it allows the bowlers to analyse the pitch conditions before their spell. Expressing his hope for similar bowling performances in upcoming matches, he elaborated on this strategy during the post-match presentation.
Not going to make too much out of it: KL Rahul
“We'll take the win, I am not going to make too much out of it (on defending totals). For the young bowling unit we have, it helps when we bat first. They get an idea of how the wicket is playing and they've also been adapting really well. It's a good record to have (defending all 160+ totals), but it's also where we've played. Having the home advantage helps,” Rahul said in the post-match presentation.
"The bowlers have come through the ranks over the last couple of years. you have seen the same guys bowling in the last season as well., They have adjusted to their roles. Hopefully we can continue this. We knew that it wasn't as good as the wicket we played on (in the previous match here), also losing two wickets in the powerplay will set us back a bit," he added.
Skipper Rahul also praised the contributions of his spin trio - Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi and M Siddharth. He emphasised their importance to the team's success, stating that all three spinners have been crucial players. Thrilled about their first victory against Gujarat Titans, he elaborated on his thoughts during the post-match presentation.
“Unless someone carries on to get 70-80, it was tough to achieve that 170-180. We just wanted to bat and see how much we can get. That's the advantage you have when you are batting first. All three spinners have been key for us. Sid coming in this season has done really well, he plays a crucial part with the new ball, he's shown great temperament,” star wicketkeeper-batter said.
"His job is to restrict the batters. KP (Krunal Pandya) is very experienced, he's played IPL for so many seasons. Bishnoi has been around for so many years and keeps getting better. Feels good to get off the mark there (first win vs GT)," Rahul concluded.
With this win Rahul's LSG surged to third in the IPL 2024's points table with six points in a total of four matches. LSG will next face Delhi Capitals (DC) on April 12 while GT will be up against Rajasthan Royals on April 10.
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