KL Rahul led Lucknow Super Giants to a comfortable victory over five-time Indian Premier League champions Mumbai Indians, whose dismal record this season has been stretched to six consecutive defeats.
Lucknow put up an excellent team effort in all departments, as they successfully defended their total of 199 against the Mumbai batting, after skipper KL Rahul led from the front with a magnificent century, taking his side to a match-winning total.
Rahul was supported by his opening partner Quinton de Kock and his Karnataka captain Manish Pandey, who both played valuable innings for tournament newbies LSG. The bowling suffered some early jitters as Dewald Brevis looked to take the game away from the Lucknow franchise, only for them to pull it back in superb fashion to secure a crucial victory as the MI’s chances of qualifying took a further hit.
Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss at the Brabourne Stadium and decided to bowl first. KL Rahul and de Kock took full advantage of the Indians’ decision to give Tilak Verma the new ball, as they cashed in in the powerplay, getting to their fifty partnership in the first five overs. The South African was looking in fabulous form, timing each shot to perfection before going for one big shot too many against the West Indian Fabian Allen, as Lucknow lost their first wicket.
De Kock’s wicket brought veteran batsman and KL Rahul’s domestic skipper Manish Pandey to the crease. Pandey, who was returning to the side, showed positive intent and also took full advantage of the lightning-quick Brabourne outfield as he unleashed a barrage of boundaries on the Mumbai bowlers.
Rahul, at the other end, did not go ballistic as yet, as he held fort. Pandey was dismissed by Murugan Ashwin, who bowled a slower googly to shatter the Karnataka man’s woodwork. Marcus Stoinis also departed after a brief but promising start before Rahul shifted to top gear.
LSG captain attacked the Mumbai bowlers with precision, getting to a well-deserved century, finishing on 103* in 60 deliveries. The century was Rahul’s third and his first in Lucknow colours. Mumbai were set a target of 200 in their 20 overs, and with Lucknow’s bowling attack, such a score was always going to be difficult to chase down.
Rohit’s poor run of form continued as he was done away within the very second over of the game. However, in a huge positive for Mumbai, Dewald Brevis was outstanding from ball one, tearing apart the Lucknow bowlers from the outset, as he scored six quick boundaries and a maximum to reach a score of 31 in just 12 balls. But one lofted shot too many cost the talented youngster, as he fell to Avesh Khan off the next ball. Ishan Kishan also departed shortly, getting Mumbai into deep trouble.
Suryakumar Yadav and Mumbai’s newest revelation Tilak did a phenomenal job to rescue the Indians from their hole, as the two added 64 for the fourth wicket before Ravi Bishnoi got the better of Yadav.
Yadav’s dismissal broke the Indians’ back, as Varma’s wicket also bit the dust shortly after the mainstay’s wicket. Only the veteran Kieron Pollard’s presence kept the game alive for MI, but nothing came of it, despite some sixes in the end, courtesy of Jaydev Unadkat and Murugan Ashwin. With 19 required off the last three deliveries, there was nothing that the big man Pollard could do as his side crashed to their sixth straight defeat.
Brief scores
Lucknow Super Giants 199 for 4 (Rahul 103*, Pandey 38, Unadkat 2-32) beat Mumbai Indians (Suryakumar 37, Brevis 31, Avesh 3-30) by 18 runs
