Indian Premier League: Debutant Lucknow Super Giants thrash Delhi Capitals

MUMBAI: Debutant Lucknow Super Giants produced another discipline performance in IPL 2022 at the D.Y Patil Stadium on Thursday to beat Delhi Capitals by 6 wickets and registered third win in four matches to reach the second spot in points table.

After restricting the opponent at just 149 runs, the KL Rahul-led team reached the target in 19.4 overs losing 4 wickets.

South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock played a superb knock of 80 runs in 52 balls with 9 fours and 2 sixes. He put on 73 runs inside 10 overs with Rahul (24 runs off 25 balls) for the opening wicket to build the foundation. They need 19 runs from last two overs.

Earlier, losing the toss, Delhi Capitals could to capitalized the attacking fifty by opener Prithvi Shaw (61 off 34) against a disciplined bowling performance.

After a fast start and a quickfire half-century by Shaw, Delhi lost steam and their batters couldn't get the momentum throughout their innings.

The new opening pair of Prithvi Shaw and David Warner gave Lucknow a flying start and took them to 52-0 in the powerplay. Out of the 52, Shaw alone scored 47 runs while Warner was a mere spectator at the other end. The attacking batter continued his assault even after the powerplay and raced to his fifty in just 30 balls.

However, Lucknow made a roaring comeback in the game by picking quick wickets. It was Krishnappa Gowtham, who gave LSG their first wicket by dismissing the dangerous Shaw. After getting hit for a six and four in the first two balls of his over, Gowtham changed the angle and went around the wicket. The spinner fired the ball wide and got Shaw 61 off 34 caught behind.

In the very next over, Ravi Bishnoi got rid of Warner, who managed just 4 off 12 in his first IPL 2022 outing.

Skipper Rishabh Pant then joined Rovman Powell at the crease and they played cautiously against LSG spinners. Powell (3), in particular, was struggling to middle the ball and his struggle was ended by Bishnoi through a googly, leaving Delhi struggling at 74-3 after 10.3 overs.

From there on, Sarfaraz Khan, who was playing in his first match for DC and Pant looked to rebuild their team's innings. But it wasn't easy as LSG spinners bowled excellent line and lengths and runs were drying up for DC. Both Pant (39 not out off 36) and Sarfaraz (36 not out off 28) tried everything but they couldn't time the ball properly and Delhi eventually finished with 149/3 in 20 overs.

Brief scores: Delhi Capitals 149-3 in 20 overs (Prithvi Shaw 61, Rishabh Pant 39 not out; Ravi Bishnoi 2/22) lost to Lucknow Super Giants 155/4 in 19.4 overs (De Kock 80, Rahul 24, Krunal Pandya 19no).

Also Read: Lucknow Super Giants beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 12 runs

Also Watch: Will Smith Stormed up the Stage and struck Chris Rock across the face for joking about his wife.