In a thrilling climax to their TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 journey, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) secured an 18-run victory over the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the renowned Wankhede Stadium. The win marked a triumphant end to LSG’s season, despite MI winning the toss and opting to bowl first. The game saw several lineup changes, with Arjun Tendulkar making a notable appearance in place of Jasprit Bumrah for MI.
The match started with LSG facing significant challenges, especially in the first 10 overs, as MI bowlers persistently disrupted their rhythm and picked up wickets at regular intervals. At the halfway mark, LSG’s prospects appeared dim, prompting Nicholas Pooran to step up and inject much-needed momentum into their innings. Simultaneously, it was crucial for KL Rahul, who had already set his eyes on a long stay at the crease, to consolidate and steer the team towards a competitive total.
The beginning of LSG’s innings saw Devdutt Padikkal being promoted to open but falling early to a leg-before dismissal by Nuwan Thushara in the first over. Despite a promising start in the powerplay by Marcus Stoinis, who quickly scored 28 off 22 balls, he was dismissed by Piyush Chawla in the sixth over. Chawla’s disciplined bowling continued to stifle LSG’s momentum as he also claimed the wicket of Deepak Hooda in his third over, reducing LSG to 69 for three at the 10-over mark and bringing Pooran to the crease.
Pooran’s innings began tentatively with three successive dot balls, but what followed was an onslaught that electrified the stadium. Pooran exploded, reaching his fifty in just 19 balls, displaying his characteristic horizontal bat shots that sent the ball flying squarely to the boundary on both sides.
In the 13th over, Pooran hit two massive sixes, propelling the score by 22 runs in that over alone. Arjun Tendulkar, struggling with cramps, faced Pooran next in the 15th over and succumbed to two more towering sixes before leaving the field to be replaced by Naman Dhir. Pooran continued his rampage, hitting Dhir for another six and a four, pushing the 15th over to a staggering 29 runs in total.
KL Rahul followed up with his own fifty off 37 balls.
. Thushara, returning to the attack, dismissed Pooran for a blistering 75 off 29 balls soon after. However, LSG stumbled as Arshad Khan, recently elevated in the batting order, was dismissed on his first ball, followed closely by Rahul’s dismissal by Chawla. Despite being at 178 for six, the lower-order duo of Krunal Pandya and Ayush Badoni combined efficiently to push the total to a daunting 214 with critical boundaries in the concluding overs.
MI’s chase began with promising aggression from openers Rohit Sharma and Dewald Brevis. Brevis, stepping in for Ishan Kishan, played a supporting role while Rohit dominated with exhilarating shots, reaching his fifty off 28 balls. Their opening partnership accumulated 88 runs in just over eight overs before Brevis was dismissed for 23, opening the floodgates for LSG’s bowlers.
Krunal Pandya struck in the 10th over, claiming the wicket of Suryakumar Yadav, and the major blow came when Ravi Bishnoi dismissed Rohit Sharma for an impactful 68 in the 11th over. From then on, MI’s batters struggled against the climbing required run rate. Youngster Naman Dhir put up a valiant fight, reaching his half-century in the final over with a six off Naveen. Dhir’s unbeaten 62 off 28 balls, including a last-ball six, highlighted MI’s resilience but was insufficient with their formidable task of scoring 34 in the last over.
LSG’s collective bowling effort, particularly from the spinners, proved critical. Krunal Pandya’s tight spell of one for 29 in four overs and Bishnoi’s impactful two for 37 held MI in check during the crucial middle overs. This comprehensive effort enabled LSG to restrict MI and secure a memorable victory to conclude their IPL 2024 campaign.
Conclusively, the match showcased exhilarating individual performances and strategic team play, underlining the excitement and unpredictability of T20 cricket.