LSG vs GT Review: Stoinis, Thakur help Lucknow to record third win
Lucknow Super Giants took on Gujarat Titans in Match 21 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on April 7. LSG won the toss and opted to bat first. Quinton de Kock (6 off 4) departed early but KL Rahul (33 off 31) kept grinding at the crease. Devdutt Padikkal (7 off 7) continued his rough time with the bat but Marcus Stoinis (58 off 43) along with Rahul kept the scoreboard ticking with a depleting run rate. Nicholas Pooran (32 off 22) and Ayush Badoni (20 off 11) could not accelerate in their usual manner as LSG managed just 163/5 on a pitch assisting bowlers.
Sai Sudharsan (31 off 23) and Shubman Gill (19 off 21) provided an ideal start for GT, compiling 54 runs in the powerplay but quick wickets of Kane Williamson (1 off 5) and Sharath (2 off 5) made things haphazard. Vijay Shankar (17 off 17) and Darshan Nalkande (12 off 11) could not get the momentum going. Rahul Tewatia (30 off 25) would have wished Rashid Khan (0 off 3) held onto the other end but LSG dismissed GT’s batting lineup under the 19th over and won the game by 33 runs.
Top Performers of the Match
Marcus Stoinis (58 off 43)
Marcus Stoinis’ innings may not appease much owing to his strike rate, but it gave an unruly narrative of Lucknow strip. His innings were an amalgamation of timely boundaries to get those extra runs amidst tight spells. However, he smashed four boundaries and two sixes in the course. He tried to shift the gear with two sixes of Darshan Nalkande and fell in the subsequent delivery. Those 58 runs were a major chunk of LSG’s piggy bank.
Yash Thakur (5 for 30)
LSG are blessed in a way their uncapped Indian pacers are joining the groove. Yash Thakur is the latest entrant. He started by brushing away their biggest threat in the form of Gill. He later gave Vijay Shankar one more reason to ponder upon. His third scalp came in the form of Rashid and Lucknow was good to go. He hammered the final nail in the coffin by picking Tewatia and Noor Ahmed in the 19th over.
What’s next for both teams?
Lucknow Super Giants will take on Delhi Capitals in Match 26 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on April 12. Gujarat Titans will take on Rajasthan Royals in Match 24 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on April 10
