Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bundled out Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 19.4 overs, defeating them by 28 runs on Tuesday, 2 April at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru in the 15th match of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL).
Chasing a target of 182 runs, the Faf du Plesis-led side could only manage to post 153 runs before they succumbed to the LSG bowlers to endure their second consecutive defeat on their home turf.
The Challengers embarked on a strong start, propelled by a formidable 40-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Faf du Plesis. However, Kohli succumbed to M Siddharth's bowling in the 5th over after contributing 22 runs off 16 balls. Subsequently, the RCB skipper was followed by Faf du Plesis, who fell victim to the pace of Mayank Yadav after scoring 19 runs from 16 deliveries.
Glenn Maxwell's batting woes persisted as he departed without scoring yet again, falling victim to Mayank Yadav for the second time in the match. Mayank secured his second wicket of the evening by dismissing Cameroon Green for 9 runs off 9 balls in the 8th over.
Mayank Starred With The Ball
Mayank finished with a three-wicket haul in his four-over spell.
Image: PTI
Despite losing partners at regular intervals from the other end, Rajat Patidar continued to contribute with the bat, accumulating runs steadily. However, RCB suffered their fifth blow when Marcus Stoinis dismissed wicketkeeper-batsman Anuj Rawat in the 13th over.
Mayank returned to the attack in the 15th over to claim his third wicket, removing Patidar who departed after scoring 29 runs off 21 balls.
Dinesh Karthik too couldn't do well as Naveen-ul-Haq dismissed him for a mere 4 runs. In quick succession, Mayank Dagar was sent back to the pavilion by a remarkable throw, resulting in a run-out dismissal. Adding to the woes of the hosts, Yash Thakur claimed the wicket of impact substitute Mahipal Lomror, leaving RCB at 138/9.
Naveen-ul-Haq then claimed the winning wicket for the Super Giants as he dismissed Mohammed Siraj on the fourth delivery of the 20th over.
De Kock's Fiery Knock
De Kock scored 81 runs off 56 balls.
Image: PTI
In the first innings, Opener Quinton de Kock hammered a 56-ball 81 but Royal Challengers Bengaluru pulled things back in the death overs to restrict Lucknow Super Giants. De Kock went berserk at the start of the innings, raising 53 runs for the opening wicket with skipper K.L Rahul (20) and 56 for the third wicket with Marcus Stoinis (24) after RCB skipper Faf du Plessis won the toss and opted to field first.
However, RCB pulled things back a bit, sending down some miserly overs towards the end of the innings before Nicholas Pooran hammered five sixes in the last two overs for 40 not out off 21 deliveries to help them to a defendable total. Glenn Maxwell was the best of the RCB bowlers with 2-23 off his four overs.
De Kock-Stoinis' Robust Run-Stand
Nicholas Pooran blasted a hat-trick of sixes in the last over.
Image: PTI
LSG were off to a good start, with Quinton de Kock and K.L Rahul raising 53 runs for the opening wicket partnership. In between, K.L Rahul hammered Yash Dayal for a huge six, a beautiful shot off a fullish delivery around the fifth stump that the Karnataka batter blasted over the bowler's over. He struck Glenn Maxwell for another six, even though Rajat Patidar got a hand to it. Rahul fell off the next ball, ballooning a catch to Mayank Dagar, getting the outside half of his bat to be out for 20.
Quinton de Kock found an able partner in Marcus Stoinis as they both raised 56 runs for the third-wicket partnership. Stoinis fell to Glenn Maxwell, caught by Dagar as he tried to maintain the momentum, getting out for 23 off 15 balls studded with one four and two sixes.
Nicholas Pooran's Hattrick of Sixes
LSG eventually got 181/5 in their 20 overs.
Image: PTI
RCB applied the brakes with Yash Dayal bowling a two-run 15th over, de Kock blasted Siraj for two boundaries in the next over to pull things back for LSG as they reached 141/3 in 16 overs.
Mayank Dagar pouched a well-judged catch at long-off to see the back of de Kock for 81 off 56 balls, studded with eight boundaries and five maximums.
Nicholas Pooran blasted a hat-trick of sixes off Topley. LSG eventually got 181/5 in their 20 overs thanks to the Pooran blitzkrieg in the last two overs.
With inputs from IANS.
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