In spite of all the collective efforts by Lucknow SuperGiants, Young Mayank Yadav shone out today in another stunning performance to record his second win in a row at the Indian Premier League 2024. But, on the other hand, RCB is now beaten at home by LSG with a difference of 28 runs.
LSG were just better than Bengaluru on all fronts; batting, bowling and fielding as the latter lost everything except for the coin toss that was won by Faf du Plessis. It was disciplined LSG attack and poor batting discipline from themselves that led to RCB being bowled out for 153 (19.4 overs) after chasing 182 to win. With Virat Kohli going early in their chase, RCB never recovered enough to make a game out of it.
KL Rahul’s Brilliance
Playing the masterstroke, KL Rahul, skipper of LSG opened from both ends of attack with left-arm spin. It paid off immediately. Manimaran Siddharth gave away just three runs to Virat Kohli and FA du Plessis in the first over; all were singles.
Mayank Yadav- the newly discovered star, is not among starters while Naveen-ul-Haq and other pacer waited for a while. Krunal Pandya was another surprise from KGCC’s captain as he handed the ball to him against RCB openers.
Rahul stuck with his intentions and went on to test the pair of Kohli-du Plessis with spinning. The trick worked as Kohli, the leading run getter in the tournament, top-edged Siddarth to Devdutt Paddikal at backward point. A big catch for LSG and Siddarth. Frustration was writ large on Kohli’s face as he departed after contributing 22 (16b, two 4s, 1 six) to the 40-run opening stand.
RCB’s Top order failure
It was the same story that unfolded when Kohli left: The usual failure of the top order. Du Plessis, the captain, was in charge and then inexplicably ran out for 19 just as his team needed a strong innings from him.
After that Glenn Maxwell (0) and Cameron Green (9) were unable to resist LSG’s dominance. These two experienced Australian batsmen had no idea how to handle an inexperienced Delhi bowler.
Mahipal Lomror played a cameo of 33 runs off 13 balls (three 6s, three 4s), entertaining the home fans when RCB had lost almost everything.
Mayank Agarwal has got speed, control and a brain on his young shoulders.
Mayank Yadav stunning pace
Yadav kept where he had left in his match-winning three-wicket burst on IPL debut against Punjab Kings in Lucknow. First and foremost, Maxwell was undone by him with a projectile hurled over 22 yards at a 151 kmph, Pooran running in form mid-wicket to take the catch. Speed made Green bow down. The sound of leather hitting timber right ahead is the sweetest music any speedster wants to listen.
Rajat Patidar’s dismissal, a top-edge to Devdutt Paddikal at deep square leg off Yadav, put LSG within sniffing distance of their second successive win. A little later, Dinesh Karthik was almost bowled by Yadav right in front of the stumps. However “the finisher” survived the scare in DRS for additional bounce.
The second man of the match stuff from Yadav – 4-0-13-3. He has an unusual combination of extreme pace and control. It isn’t easy to bowl more than 150km/h without bowling wide or no balls.
Whispers of India going to the USA and West Indies with a 21-year-old special talent may start soon, as the T20 World Cup round the corner.
Earlier on, SuperGiants didn’t let RCB derive any advantage after du Plessis had opted to field first. Into the 17th over, Quinton de Kock marshalled the innings in-form Nicholas Pooran powered them towards a strong total.
De Kock’s Best
Lucknow’s innings were all about de Kock, who achieved the rare feat of scoring his first back to back IPL half centuries in four years. Regardless of Maxwell getting a deadly Rahul (20, 14b, two 6s) early in the game, he kept going at it. From the moment they stepped into bat LSG were pace-setters. In their first wicket partnership that produced 53 runs, De Kock scored most (32 runs).
LSG lost Rahul as well as Paddikal (6) and Marcu Stoinis during the middle overs but de Kock continued at a fast pace. The third wicket yielded a rapid 56 away from just 30 balls between De Kock and Stoinis (24, 15b, one 4, two 6s).
When he left for a well-played knock of 81 off only fifty-six balls with five fours and five sixes in the seventeenth over by Super Giants.
Nicholas Pooran Beast Performance
Nicholas Pooran’s late strike set the fully packed M Chinnaswamy stadium afire, smashing 40 off 21 balls without losing his wicket with a single boundary and five sixes. This also allowed the Caribbean batsman to form a partnership of 33 runs in 12 balls for the sixth wicket with Krunal Pandya who watched Pooran’s inferno from square leg without disturbing him.
