Lucknow got the better of Punjab in match 38 of the Indian T20 League, in a rather emphatic batter. After being put to bat first, KL Rahul’s team scored 257/5, and became just the second team after Bangalore to score 250 or more in this competition.
Kyle Mayers and Marcus Stoinis scored half-centuries for them. In response, Punjab were bowled out for 201, with Yash Thakur picking up a four-wicket haul, and Naveen-ul-Haq supporting him with three wickets.
Among the four highest scores in this competition, this match marks the only instance where a team didn’t have any centurions – highlighting the score was a product of immaculate teamwork, instead of individual brilliance.
With his 24-ball 54, the tone was set by Caribbean opener Kyle Mayers. His dismissal was followed by an exemplary third-wicket stand between Marcus Stoinis and Ayush Badoni.
The pair scored 89 runs in less than eight overs. Nicholas Pooran applied the finishing touches with his 19-ball 45, as his strike rate soared up to nearly 200 this season.
There weren’t many stars in Punjab’s batting, but young Atharva Taide did well. He had scored 33 runs before this fixture, but turned up with an impressive 36-ball 66. There will, however, be questions about Punjab’s tactics. Despite three of Punjab’s four wins coming whilst batting first, they opted to chase, resulting in a fatal error.
This podcast series is brought to you in association with Lloyd and Domino's.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)