Punjab Kings' (PBKS) had no answer to Mayank Yadav's tearaway pace which propelled Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to an emphatic 21-run win over Shikhar Dhawan's men in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium on March 30. With this victory LSG opened their winning account in the IPL 2024, having lost their first match against Rajasthan Royals. Mayank, who made his debut for LSG, kept on clocking 150-plus speed to keep PBKS batters in check, and helped LSG defend 199 runs. PBKS were restricted to 178/5 despite Dhawan's brilliant 70 off 50. Mayank Yadav returned with a magical spell of 3/27 which was well coupled with Mohsin Khan's 2/34. Notably, Mayank bowled the fastest delivery of IPL 2024 after recording a speed of 156kmph. He bowled six deliveries with a speed clocking 150kmph-plus speed.
PBKS falter in big chase despite Dhawan's batting exploits
Chasing a target of 200, Punjab Kings got off to a promising start thanks to a solid opening partnership between skipper Shikhar Dhawan (70 off 49) and Jonny Bairstow. The duo combined for an impressive 102 runs, igniting the visitors' hopes for a comfortable chase. Bairstow, known for his aggressive batting, played a quickfire knock of 42 runs off just 29 deliveries. He peppered the boundary ropes with three sixes and as many fours, but his innings was cut short when he mistimed a pull shot off Mayank Yadav and was caught by Marcus Stoinis at deep mid-wicket.
Punjab looked to maintain the momentum with the introduction of Prabhsimran Singh as a substitute. The young batsman provided a brief spark, smashing 19 runs off just 7 balls, including two sixes and a boundary. However, his entertaining cameo was ended by Mayank Yadav, who grabbed his second wicket of the night. Mayank, impressing on his debut, continued his rampage with his third dismissal. He deceived wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma (7 off 9) with a similar delivery to the one that got rid of Bairstow. Jitesh's attempted pull shot found Naveen-ul-Haq at mid-wicket, who completed a safe catch.
Mayank Yadav stifles Punjab Kings' chase
Lucknow's pace attack tightened the screws on Punjab Kings after a strong opening partnership. The key spell came from their young pacer, who finished his four overs with a miserly 3/27, boasting an impressive economy rate of 6.8 runs per over. Dhawan (70 off 50) had provided Punjab with a solid foundation. However, just when a partnership was blossoming with Liam Livingstone, Dhawan was dismissed by Mohsin Khan. The left-arm spinner struck again on the very next delivery, adding the dangerous Sam Curran to his wicket haul. Livingstone (27 off 16), despite his characteristic six-hitting prowess (two sixes and two boundaries), couldn't single-handedly revive the chase. Shashank Singh (8 off 6) offered some late resistance, but ultimately, Punjab Kings fell short of the target by 21 runs.
Troika of De Kock, Pooran and Krunal help LSG post big total
Earlier, Quinton De Kock, Nicholas Pooran and Krunal Pandya's fiery knocks propelled LSG to a strong total of 199/8. Opting to bat first, LSG saw De Kock lead with a brisk 54 off 38 balls, while stand-in captain Pooran added momentum with a quickfire 42 off 21 balls during the middle phase of the innings.
Krunal Pandya, batting with aggression, smashed two sixes and four fours, racing to 43 off just 22 balls at a strike rate of 200, providing Lucknow with a significant boost towards the end. The innings kicked off with de Kock driving gracefully for a four off the first ball he faced, setting the tone for his side.
KL Rahul, playing as an 'impact player' under Pooran's leadership for this match, had a shaky moment against Kagiso Rabada's delivery, attempting a leg-side flick. Harshal Patel's attempt to catch the ball was nearly spectacular, diving in from distance, though Rahul narrowly escaped dismissal.
De Kock continued to assert his dominance, skillfully hitting Rabada for another boundary early in his encounter with the renowned fast bowler. On the next delivery, de Kock skillfully used the bat's angle to loft Rabada's ball over the backward point for a spectacular six.
Rahul confidently drove Arshdeep Singh's delivery straight down the ground for a six and followed it up with a powerful shot that earned him a boundary in the same direction. Arshdeep Singh managed to get his retaliation when he had the LSG batsman caught by Jonny Bairstow at backward point, ending Rahul's quick cameo at 15 runs off nine balls. Devdutt Padikkal struck two boundaries in quick succession before falling victim to Sam Curran's bowling.
Marcus Stoinis made a brief but impactful 19, including two sixes, before Rahul Chahar bowled him out as he attempted an ambitious on-side hit.
Nicholas Pooran then entered the fray, quickly finding his rhythm with two sixes and a four off Chahar, boosting LSG's scoring rate significantly with a 20-run over. De Kock reached his half-century in just 34 balls, but a strategic break in play saw a dip in momentum for LSG as he later mistimed a short ball from Arshdeep, offering an easy catch to wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma. Pooran continued to push the pace until he was undone by a Rabada delivery that he inadvertently dragged onto his stumps, marking a significant setback for LSG. Krunal Pandya wasted no time adjusting, fiercely hitting a short delivery from Rabada for a six over midwicket. Although Curran's 17th over was tightly bowled, Krunal managed to find the boundary multiple times shortly afterward, giving LSG's innings a substantial boost.
Now, PBKS will next face Gujarat Titans (GT) on April 4 in Ahmedabad while LSG will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 2 respectively.
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