KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) took on Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at home, the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, in the 54th match of the Indian Premier League 2024 (IPL 2024) on Sunday, May 5.
Opting to bowl first in the match, LSG were poor as Sunil Narine (81) took the bowlers to the cleaners and helped his team reach 235 for 6. For LSG, Naveen-ul-Haq picked up three wickets, while Yash Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, and Yudhvir Singh bagged a wicket each.
Chasing the total, LSG put up a horrible batting show and were bowled out for 137 in 16.1 overs. Only two players, Marcus Stoinis (36) and KL Rahul (25), crossed the 20-run mark and LSG lost the match by 98 runs, which is Lucknow Super Giants’ biggest loss ever.
Speaking after the match, KL Rahul criticized his teammates and termed their performance as poor in all three departments. KL Rahul said:
“A lot of runs were scored in the second innings. When you’re chasing a big total, you try to push yourself too hard and end up losing wickets. It was just a poor performance overall. We didn’t get it (hit our lengths consistently), it’s just been a poor overall performance with the bat, the ball and in the field.
KL Rahul praised KKR players Sunil Narine and Phil Salt for their aggressive batting and said LSG bowlers could not handle the pressure of dealing with KKR openers. KL Rahul explained:
“Sunil Narine and Phil Salt, in the powerplay, we have seen how they bat and put a lot of pressure on the opponent. Our young players couldn’t handle that kind of pressure and he played some really good shots. That’s how it is IPL, you you face really good players and that’s when your character is tested. We weren’t up to it. The wicket was really good, it felt like a pretty real wicket, there was a bit of bounce if you bowled hard and long, but. “Nothing out of the ordinary and it didn’t look like a really bad pitch. 235 was probably 20 or 30 runs over par and our batting performance was really poor when you’re chasing with such a big score, you’re under pressure, it’s always difficult.” .
KL Rahul revealed that they prepare well in advance before matches and evaluate the conditions, but a botched execution cost them the match against KKR. KL Rahul stated:
“We prepare well in advance and talk about the opposing hitters, we know our conditions here and we spend a little time talking to the pitchers and the hitters trying to see what kind of plans we need to make. Once we get here, it’s about execution and we got that part wrong. The bowlers did the best they could, but the young group really… the sooner you learn, the better it is for the team.”
KL Rahul admitted that they made some major mistakes in the match and said that they will try to get over the loss and focus on the upcoming matches.
“We have made a couple of mistakes when we have faced batsmen like Sunil and anyone who is powerful. That kind of intimidation puts pressure on our bowlers. That will be the talk once we get back to the locker room: move.” Starting from this match, we will see where we went wrong and we will try to improve. This is our last home game for us, so we will be away from home for the next three games. It’s pretty clear for us if we want to get to the end. In the top four, you have to win all four games. “That will give us a little freedom to go out and be a little more fearless and brave to face the game.”
Lucknow supergiants suffer big setback
LSG have suffered a huge defeat in the 2024 Indian Premier League as they virtually lost their X-factor express pacer Mayank Yadav for the rest of the season, with only a slim hope of his availability for the playoffs in case he they go so far.
The 21-year-old pacer took the cricket world by storm after making his debut for LSG in IPL 2024 on March 30. In his first two matches, Mayank Yadav bowled sensational lines and lengths at a speed of 155 kmph consistently and recorded combined figures of 6 for 41 against Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He also became the first player in IPL history to win the Man of the Match award in his first two matches.
After his success in the first two matches, things went downhill for the pacer as in the third game he simply bowled one over before leaving the field and then missed the next five matches due to abdominal pain. Although he managed to return on April 30 against Mumbai Indians, the pacer left the field after bowling 3.1 overs because he had pain in his sides, KL Rahul revealed after the match.
Meanwhile, LSG head coach Justin Langer provided an update on Mayank Yadav during a media interaction and revealed that the pacer is all but ruled out from IPL. “No, we’ll be praying that he can play, hopefully, in the playoffs, but I’m also realistic. It’s probably going to be difficult for him to be ready for the latter part of the tournament,” Langer said. . “They did a scan on him. He has a small tear in a similar area to the previous one. So it’s very unfortunate,” he added.