Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders produced a T20 classic on Wednesday during their second meeting in IPL 2022. Over 400 runs were scored during the contest with LSG winning by just two runs to enter playoffs and knocking out KKR in the process. Their were several outstanding individual performances across the 40 overs – Quinton de Kock’s 140 not out, Mohsin Khan’s stunning spell and Rinku Singh’s late carnage.
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Here’s a look at the major talking points from the match
Slow and Steady
LSG’s opening pair of KL Rahul and De Kock came in to bat with a plan. The plan to bide time. Bide time in T20 cricket? Sounds funny. But this is exactly what the LSG pair did. They didn’t go hammers and tongs in the Powerplay but whenever the chance was presented, boundaries were scored. From their first seven overs, they scored 48/0. There were big overs in between but largely, it was at best a sedate approach. Seems like keeping wickets in hands was the plan or rather giving respect to bowlers early on. They were 111/0 in 14 overs. All 10 wickets intact. And then carnage. Off the final six overs, they looted 99 runs. And without losing a wicket. Stunning.
Also Read: Lucknow Super Giants Beat Kolkata Knight Riders
QDK, Take a Bow
De Kock was in the zone. He produced a breathtaking knock, one of the finest in IPL history. He started a bit slow. Took him 35 deliveries to reach his fifty. He exploded in the death overs. Varun Chakravarthy was slammed for two sixes and a four. Andre Russell smoked for a six and then a four – which brought him his second IPL century. He took just 25 deliveries to complete his next fifty. He was pumped and, let out a scream. And then once the three-figure mark was breached, a poor Tim Southee ran into him. And was smoked for four sixes in a row. Russell, who also came to bowl the final over, leaked four fours in a row. QDK ended unbeaten on 140 off 70 – the third highest individual score in IPL history.
Also Read: KKR vs LSG Match Highlights
Rinku Nearly Pulls it Off
When Rinku walked in to bat to join Russell, KKR still needed 69 off 26 deliveries. Russell’s ability and reputation meant the stiff target was still within the reach of the Knight Riders. Russell departed on 5 off 11. Game over? Maybe. Or not because soon Rinku unleashed a barrage of boundaries, leaving LSG stunned. He glanced, crunched, pulled and hoicked his way to two fours and four sixes bringing his team within the touching distance. They needed just three off the final two. This was his night. Just another hit and he would have stolen QDK’s thunder and kept his team alive. He had done more than enough. From a hopeless situation, he brought his team back from the dead. Alas, the glory evaded. His electrifying innings came to an end thanks to an equally stunning one-handed screamer from Evin Lewis in the deep. A dejected Rinku took a long way back to the dug-out. But he had left his mark. 40 off 15, in a high-scoring chase, against one of the top bowling sides is certainly something to be proud of.
Mohsin Shines Amidst The Ruins
Mohsin Khan is the latest in the ever-growing list of Indian fast bowlers who have shown immense potential. Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik have already presented their claims. Mohsin has also began knocking on the door. A pitch that was harsh on the bowlers, the pacers to be precise, Mohsin stood out with a stunning economy of 5. Not only that, the left-arm pacer put on a show with his subtle change of pace and guile that fetched him three wickets. He got the new ball to move enough to have KKR opener Venkatesh Iyer out caught-behind and then outfoxed debutant Abhijeet Tomar with a slower one. For his third victim though, with the old ball, he had some help from his fellow pacer Avesh Khan who frustrated Andre Russell with four dot balls in a row before an off-cutter from Mohsin put an end to his struggle.
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