Fans witnessed another thrilling encounter in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 as Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) defeated Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 10 runs at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Wednesday (April 19). Defending a below-par total, the LSG bowlers kept their composure and put pressure on their opponents with dot balls and frequent wickets to win a low-scoring thriller.
Chasing 155, RR's batting innings followed a similar pattern to the first innings, as both of their openers played slow innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler put on an 87-run stand for the first wicket, but after the former was dismissed in the 12th over, they faced a collapse. Marcus Stoinis was proved to be the game changer for the visitors as he got the wickets of both set RR openers.
Skipper Sanju Samson (2 off 4 balls), unfortunately, got out in the form of a run-out in the 13th over, and Stoinis took the key wicket of Buttler in the very next over. Those three quick wickets added more pressure on the hosts and LSG bowlers took the advantage of it.
The hero of the last match, Shimron Hetmyer also failed to perform wonders, today. Devdutt Padikkal and Riyan Parag tried hard at the end to cross the finish line, but they took too many balls to get set and ended up losing. With 19 needed off the last over, Avesh Khan held his nerve to secure an incredible victory for his team. He dismissed Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel and conceded just 8 runs in his fourth over.
Earlier, after putting LSG to bat first, Trent Boult gave his team a superb start with the new ball, giving only two runs in his first two overs. LSG openers managed just 37 runs in the powerplay as Boult, Sandeep Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin kept things quiet. Kyle Mayers hit a couple of boundaries to get to his half-century, but it came in 42 balls and he failed to convert it into a big score.
A strange batting display from LSG players resulted in them settling for a below-par total. Mayer’s 51 off 42, Marcus Stonis’ 21 off 16 and Nicholas Nicholas’s 29 off 20 took the visitors to 154. Boult took one wicket and conceded just 16 in his four overs, while Sandeep Sharma and Jason Holder also claimed a wicket each. Veteran spinner R Ashwin was also brilliant with the ball, taking two wickets for 23 runs in four overs.
Here's how fans reacted:
Parag the best finisher of RR? 😑 BC dhruv jurel ko bhej dete pehle..wo aar paar krta h inki trh G nahi marwata
— CM (@kkc_cm) April 19, 2023
What A Match Again
— Devinadh™ 🇮🇳 (@NTR___30) April 19, 2023
IPL is in Peak Level
GOAT LEAGUE For So Many Reasons 🙏🔥
Back to back intense matches iN iPL 😱😱😱😲
— paNKaj Sharma (@pankaj2832000) April 19, 2023
I think agar Riyan Parag 4 saal pehle wo chutad matkaane waala dance nahi karta, no one would have known that he existed, and he would have lived easy peaceful life 😁
— Bhupender Thakur (@MisterBeeTee) April 19, 2023
Bhai 156 nahi chase hua😂😂😭😭
— Sandpaper (@notacommonbruhh) April 19, 2023
Second greatest team after CSK
— AR (@31_FOREVER_) April 19, 2023
Thanks to Impact player of LSG Buttler
— ً (@Antivirus_45) April 19, 2023
Rr Send Parag Over Jurel
— Guri Pbks (@Guri_Pbks) April 19, 2023
Easy Match Lost
And That Padikkal out on Wide ball
God level captaincy by Klass Rahul 🔥
— 🎅 (@hrathod__) April 19, 2023
Dottikal and pan parak are 12 and 13th players of lsg 🥳
— You suck (@vijay_m8n) April 19, 2023