Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) climbed to the third spot on the points table with a four-wicket win in a close encounter against Mumbai Indians. The Hardik Pandya-led side suffered their seventh defeat of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season as their playoffs chances took a massive dent. MI are currently in the ninth spot just above Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) with just three wins from 10 games.
MI suffer collapse in powerplay overs
Earlier, KL Rahul won the toss and opted to field first. Rohit Sharma got off the mark with a boundary. Mohsin Khan drew first blood with the wicket of Rohit. Suryakumar Yadav smashed Marcus Stoinis for a six but got out caught behind in the same over. In Naveen-ul-Haq's first over, Tilak Varma got run out as Ravi Bishnoi pulled off a direct hit. Next ball, Hardik Pandya got out for a golden duck as he edged one to Rahul. After powerplay overs, MI were 28/4. Mayank Yadav dropped pace but troubled Nehal Wadhera and Ishan Kishan. Kishan was dropped by Ashton Turner who made his LSG debut. At halfway stag, MI were 57/4.
David’s cameo helps MI post respectable total
In the 14th over, Ravi Bishnoi ended Kishan's stay at the crease as he miscued a sweep shot. The opener scored 32 runs from 36 balls. Wadhera took on Mayank in the next over hitting him for two sixes and a four. In the 18th over, Wadhera missed a chance to complete his fifty. He got bowled by Mohsin. Tim David tried to push the scoring rate with a four and a six. In the penultimate over, Mohammad Nabi got bowled by Mayank. The pace sensation left the field as he struggled with strain. Naveen completed his over without conceding a boundary. David scored 17 runs off Mohsin in the final over including two fours. His 18-ball 35 took MI to 144/7.
Decent start in run chase
Introduced as impact player, Arshin Kulkarni on his debut got out lbw to Nuwan Thushara for a golden duck. Rahul struggled to rotate the strike in powerplay overs. Stoinis released pressure with two fours off Gerald Coetzee. Thushara took a beating from Rahul in the next over. He was hit for three fours and a six. Stoinis hit a six off Jasprit Bumrah and took LSG past 50 in powerplay overs. Skipper Hardik broke the partnership in his first over. Rahul departed for a 22-ball 28. Deepak Hooda joined Stoinis and they cruised towards the target.
Stoinis, Pooran help LSG win at home
Hardik returned to get breakthrough with Hooda's wicket in the 14th over. He contributed with a run-a-ball 18. Stoinis targetted Nabi as he hit him for a four and a six. But Nabi got his revenge as Stoinis got caught at deep mid-wicket. He scored 62 runs from 45 balls including seven fours and a couple of sixes. Turner on his IPL debut got out for a single-digit score to Coetzee. In the same over two boundaries were scored as LSG released pressure. Hardik bowled the penultimate over and Ayush Badoni was run out Nicholas Pooran hit a four off on the fifth ball of the innings. In the final over, LSG needed four runs. The hosts won the game by four wickets with four balls to spare.
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