Lucknow Super Giants beat Punjab Kings by 56 runs in a high-scoring match after amassing the second-highest total in IPL history
Posted Date – Fri, 4/28/23 at 11:48pm
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Mohali: Marcus Stoinis and Kyle Mayers beat the Punjab Kings with 56 runs in a high-scoring match on Friday as the Lucknow Super Giants finished second in IPL history.
Brutal batting from Mayers (54 for 24) and Stoinis (72 for 40) showcased the Lucknow Super Giants’ 257-5 victory over the profligate Punjab Kings.
Punjab needed almost 13 runs to complete an impossible chase and despite a decent scoring rate, finishing with 201 runs in 19.5 overs, Punjab were still behind the game. Atharava Taide hit 66 off 36 balls, his first 50+ run in the IPL, but players like Liam Livingstone (22 off 36 balls) and Sikandar Raza (14 off 23 balls) couldn’t stay long enough time to put pressure on the opponent. Skipper Shikhar Dhawan held on for just two balls on the return. Young pacer Yash Thakur was the most successful bowler with 4/37 from 4 overs.
It was LSG’s fifth win in eight games, while the Punjab Kings suffered their fourth loss in eight games. Throwing 152 runs from 4 off 15 overs, the Punjab bowled over 10 runs but was tasked with getting another 106 runs from the last 30 balls even Livingstone and Sam Curran (21 off 11) middle) are unattainable. Apart from being the second highest total in IPL history, it was also the highest total of the season.
Mayers went on a rampage in Powerplay before Stoinis effortlessly collected boundaries at will to help his team set a huge goal. Other important contributions came from Ayush Badoni (43 for 24) and Nicholas Pooran (45 for 19). Back in Punjab after three overs, Dhawan opted to bowl but his bowlers were all over the belt in the run. Except for Rahul Chahar, all the other six bowlers allowed more than 10 runs per game.
The usually frugal Arshdeep Singh conceded 54 in four overs, while Kagiso Rabada conceded 52 in four overs, although he had two wickets to prove his effort. The total is also the highest of the season and is six shy of 263, the highest total in IPL history achieved by RCB in 2013 when Chris Gayle struck an epic 175 runs.
LSG captain KL Rahul (12 for 9) was the only batsman unable to take advantage of ideal batting conditions. He was dropped by rookie Gurnoor Brar on the first pitch of the game, but didn’t count. Meyers was ferocious from the start as he broke Ashdeep for four boundaries in the opening over. He started with a flashy drive and then used his long lever to target the long, deep mid-wicket area, collecting seven fours and four sixes in total.
Such was his confidence, he took a few steps forward and knocked Rabada down on top of his head. After Mayers entered Powerplay, Stoinis and Badoni shared an 89-run standoff with just 47 balls to keep the momentum Mayers created. Stoinis had some spectacular strikes in his combative batting, including five sixes and six boundaries.
Stoinis could have been sent off in the 13th over, but Liam Livingstone hit the line when he tried to catch the ball long. Pullan started his game off Livingstone with three innings of back-to-back drives. LSG scored 73 runs in the last 30 balls.
