Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) star opener Quinton de Kock roared back to form in their IPL 2024 clash against Punjab Kings on March 30. The South African batting maestro smashed his first fifty of the IPL 2024 season at the Ekana Cricket Stadium. De Kock's knock came at a crucial juncture for LSG. Having struggled for a place in the LSG lineup last season and managing just four runs in their opening match of IPL 2024, he shouldered the responsibility after the early dismissals of KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal. His determination and aggressive batting style were on full display as he reached his fifty in a mere 34 balls. De Kock looked fearless against bowlers like Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep Singh, playing a pivotal role in Lucknow's strong powerplay showing. Despite losing two wickets early on, the Super Giants managed a commendable 54 runs in the first six overs, thanks in large part to De Kock's aggression.
Quinton De Kock matches Suryakumar Yadav's record
Quinton de Kock's fifty wasn't just crucial for LSG, it also marked a personal milestone. Notably, this was De Kock's 21st fifty in the IPL history which helped him equal Suryakumar Yadav's number of fifties tally in the glitzy league. De Kock, with his aggressive style, has amassed a total of 23 fifty-plus scores, including two cracking centuries. This impressive record places him just one behind the legendary MS Dhoni in the list of batters with the most fifty-plus scores in IPL history. However, while de Kock anchored the innings, the early departures of KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal left a question mark on Lucknow's batting depth. Though Marcus Stoinis provided a brief spark with two sixes in an over, his promotion to No. 4 proved short-lived as he fell to Rahul Chahar for 19 runs off just 12 deliveries.
De Kock and Pooran bolster Lucknow's Middle Order
Quinton de Kock's impressive knock found able support from stand-in captain Nicholas Pooran. The two southpaws formed a dynamic partnership, particularly targeting leg-spinner Rahul Chahar. Their fifth-wicket stand amassed a quickfire 47 runs in just 26 balls, injecting a much-needed boost to Lucknow's innings. However, just after the second strategic timeout, Lucknow suffered a setback with de Kock's dismissal. He top-edged a well-directed bouncer from Arshdeep Singh in the first ball of the 14th over. Undeterred, Pooran continued his aggressive batting, smashing 42 runs off just 21 balls. His knock included three sixes and as many boundaries before Kagiso Rabada dismissed him in the 16th over, leaving Lucknow at 146 runs.
The onus then fell on Krunal Pandya to maintain the momentum. The left-hander displayed his characteristic aggression from the get-go, scoring a blistering 43 off 22 balls. Lucknow ended up posting big total of 199/8 handing a tough task for PBKS.
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