Mumbai. On the basis of Nicholas Pooran’s brilliant innings of 75 runs in 29 balls, Lucknow Supergiants (LSG) scored 214 runs for six wickets against Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 match here on Friday. Apart from hitting five fours and eight sixes in his innings, Puran took the team out of the difficult situation by making a partnership of 109 runs in 44 balls with captain Lokesh Rahul (55). Rahul hit three fours and as many sixes in his innings of 41 balls.
In the last overs, Ayush Badoni (22 not out in 10 balls) and Krunal Pandya (12 not out in seven balls) made an unbroken partnership of 36 runs in 17 balls for the seventh wicket, taking the team to a big score. For Mumbai, Nuwan Thushara took three wickets for 28 runs while Piyush Chawla took three wickets for 29 runs. All the other bowlers of the team proved to be very expensive.
Thushara trapped Devdutt Padikkal LBW without opening the account in the first over. Marcus Stoinis reduced the pressure against Anshul Kamboj by hitting three fours, while captain Lokesh Rahul welcomed Piyush Chawla with two sixes in the sixth over. However, this experienced bowler gave a big success to Mumbai by LBWing Stoinis in the same over. After the powerplay, the team’s score was 49 runs for two wickets. Chawla ended Hooda’s innings of 11 runs in nine balls in the 10th over.
After Puran came to the crease, LSG’s run pace gained momentum. While Rahul was concentrating on running and stealing runs from one end, Puran Kamboj accelerated the run pace by hitting three sixes and two fours in the next two overs. After scoring 22 runs in the 13th over, he hit two sixes against Hardik Pandya in the next over.
He completed his half-century in 19 balls by hitting two consecutive sixes against Arjun. Arjun could not bowl further after getting injured and Puran and Rahul hit sixes against Naman Dhir who came in his place to complete the over, due to which LSG scored 29 runs in the 15th over. Rahul completed his fifty in 37 balls by hitting a four against Romario Shepard.
Thushara dismissed Pooran and Arshad Khan (0) on the last two balls of the 17th over, while Chawla ended Rahul’s restrained innings on the first ball of the next over due to which LSG lost three wickets in three consecutive balls. Badoni and Krunal did not let the run pace slow down. Badoni hit two sixes and a four against Romario Shepherd in the last over.