Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Saturday edged closer to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 playoffs after crushing the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 72 runs at MCA Stadium in Pune. The win has taken them to the top of points table with the knockout berth just being a formality now.
Eight points from 11 games with a deflating negative run-rate now puts KKR closer to the exit door with lacklustre performance and unimaginative captaincy combining for what has turned out to be a disastrous season so far. They remained at the 8th spot after the defeat.
As Lucknow Super Giants thrashed KKR, let’s have a look at the talking points of the encounter.
Quinton de Kock fifty: The South African wicketkeeper-batter played a remarkable knock-on Saturday night, laying the foundation of Lucknow’s innings. After Rahul’s bizarre dismissal, De Kock redeemed himself with an inner studded with four boundaries and three maximums. He added 71 with Deepak Hooda (41 off 27 balls) to give LSG a good start after being invited to bat. However, he couldn’t stay much longer as he was holed out in deep only two balls after completing his fifty.
Deepak Hooda’s great game at no. 3: Deepak Hooda continued to shine at no. 3 on Saturday, scoring 41 off 27 deliveries with the help of 2 sixes and 4 boundaries. He perfectly filled up the void after Rahul’s dismissal with his back-to-back boundaries over extra cover off Shivam Mavi. He may have fallen short by 9 runs for a fifty but his partnership with De Kock was a crucial one for the LSG.
Mavi’s most expensive over for KKR: The 19th over bowled by Shivam Mavi added a bizarre record to his name. After Marcus Stoinis’ hat-trick of sixes, Jason Holder smashed 2 more to add a total of 30 runs to the scoreboard. The right-arm quick got the wickets of the Australian all-rounder; nonetheless, after conceding 30 runs in six balls, he owned the record of top three most expensive overs bowled by a KKR bowler in history.
Russell’s contribution goes in vain: After scalping 2 wickets in the first innings, the Caribbean all-rounder returned with a fiery 45-run knock off 19 balls. He hammered 5 sixes and 3 boundaries during his stay in the middle and created the chances of KKR’s win. But all hopes were dashed with his dismissal in the 13th over. He fell prey to Avesh Khan and his dismissal exposed KKR’s lower batting order.
Avesh, Holder script KKR’s debacle: The Lucknow pace duo ran through KKR’s batting line-up, sharing 6 wickets among each other. Avesh picked up 3 wickets in 3 overs after considering 19 runs. He bagged the prized wicket of Andre Russell that changed the course of the game. Holder too was right on money, registering figures of 3 for 31 in 2.3 overs.
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