Lucknow Super Giants: Yash Thakur’s five for 30 and Krunal Pandya’s three scalps helped Lucknow Super Giants beat Gujarat Titans by 33 runs in Match 21 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at Ekana Cricket Stadium, here on Sunday.Chasing 164 to win, Lucknow had a steady start with Sai Sudarshan picking up a brace of boundaries in the second over off Naveen-ul-Haq. Mayank Yadav came to bowl the third over and left the field straightaway after completing his first over as he suffered a side strain.
Things aren’t going smoothly for LSG on Sunday night and Sudarshan helps himself to two more fours – driven down the ground and whipped through midwicket – before Shubman Gill gets going with a ramp wide of deep third. Mayank’s pace barely got above 140kph in the first over as he left the field straight after completing his first over.
When it seemed like this chase would be simple, Yash Thakur fires one through Gill and into the timber. Full, straight, and cross-seam, it continued to skid as the captain of the Titans tried to flick across the line and got out at 19. Gill’s team was in a good position at 54 for 1 at the conclusion of the powerplay.
M Siddharth struggled to bowl as he crossed the bowling line three times in his second and fifth over of the inning, but managed to give only 12 runs. Sudarshan appeared to be in excellent form as he scored 29 from 18 after the end of the seventh over.
LSG was still in the match, but Ravi Bishnoi had a great return catch to dismiss Titans’ impact sub Kane Williamson, who chipped one back to the bowler and was out for one from four deliveries. Bishnoi leaped to his right and held out one arm, just hanging on as he banged into the turf. Williamson was undoubtedly the one targeted to lead a modest pursuit on a sticky surface, but he left on a cheap note.
This game took a radical turn as Sai Sudarshan and BS Sharath both holed out in Krunal Pandya’s opening over. Wicketkeeper Sharath, who came in place of Wriddhiman Saha top-edged a sweep to a deep backward square, Bishnoi took another catch, a much simpler catch was on the deep square boundary to remove Sudarshan. Sudarshan departed after scoring 31 off 23 deliveries and was the highest scorer of his side.
Darshan Nalkande hoicked the ball around the corner directly to short fine leg, Krunal took his third wicket in the last over of the spell. The asking rate for Titans increased to about 12 runs per over as Krunal ended with three for eleven.
With 72 needed in 36 balls, and with Yash Thakur’s golden arm, LSG were inching to close the match very quickly. After dismissing Gill early in the innings, he returned for his second over and had Rashid Khan (0) chip to cover a slower ball, and Vijay Shankar (17) was caught behind swiping at a short ball. Rahul Tewatia and Spencer Johnson added 24 runs in 17 deliveries for the ninth wicket but Thakur bowling his last over of the spell claimed a five-for giving away 30 runs in 3.5 overs dismissing Tewatia (30) and Noor Ahmad (0).
This was his best IPL figure and also he became the first Indian to take five-for for LSG and overall second to Mark Wood.
Thakur’s five-for and Pandya’s three-for closed the games early as Lucknow defeated Gujarat by 33 runs. It was the first win for Lucknow in five outings.
Brief Score: Lucknow Super Giants 163 for 5 in 20 overs (Marcus Stoinis 58, KL Rahul 33; Darshan Nalkande 2-21, Umesh Yadav 2-22) beat Gujarat Titans (Sai Sudarshan 31, Rahul Tewatia 30; Yash Thakur 5-30, Krunal Pandya 3-11) by 33 runs.
