The final stages of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 saw the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) experiencing a triumphant close to their campaign with a commendable 18-run victory against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. The match, charged with electrifying moments and strategic masterstrokes, cemented LSG’s prowess as they effectively thwarted MI’s attempt to chase down their formidable target.
MI skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss, electing to bowl first, and implemented a few strategic changes to the lineup, notably bringing in Arjun Tendulkar to replace the seasoned Jasprit Bumrah. This decision sought to leverage MI’s bowling strength against LSG’s batting lineup. However, LSG’s innings turned out to be a game of two distinct phases, reflecting a shift in momentum that ultimately defined the match.
The initial stages of LSG’s innings portrayed a struggle, with MI’s bowlers consistently containing the run flow and securing wickets at regular intervals. At the halfway mark, LSG found themselves in a precarious position, unable to build significant momentum. Amidst this turbulence, the onus fell onto the shoulders of Nicholas Pooran to invigorate the innings, while KL Rahul, who had managed a steady start, had to anchor and rebuild towards a competitive total.
Promoted to open the batting, Devdutt Padikkal faced an early blow as Nuwan Thushara trapped him leg-before in the very first over. Although LSG aimed to capitalize during the powerplay, Marcus Stoinis was the only one to find some rhythm, scoring 28 off 22 balls with five boundaries. However, his effort was curtailed by Piyush Chawla, who struck on the final ball of the powerplay, keeping the pressure intact for MI. In his third over, Chawla further dented LSG’s progress by inducing an edge off Deepak Hooda’s bat, caught neatly by Nehal Wadhera at point. By the halfway mark, LSG stood at 69 for three, paving the way for Pooran’s arrival at the crease.
Nicholas Pooran’s initial three balls were dot deliveries. Yet, he quickly transitioned into a storm, reaching his fifty in just 19 balls—making his true acceleration in merely 16. His classic explosive style widened the Pooran-wagon, especially with his horizontal bat shots causing the ball to routinely disappear square on both sides of the wicket. The 13th over, for instance, saw Pooran take 22 runs, including two magnificent sixes.
Arjun Tendulkar, stepping in to bowl the pivotal 15th over amid cramps, faced Pooran’s wrath as the latter sent two deliveries flying over the leg side for sixes. This onslaught saw Pooran achieve his rapid fifty. Eventually, as Tendulkar left the field, Naman Dhir completed the over, with Pooran continuing the carnage by scoring another six and a four.
. Consequently, the 15th over alone yielded 29 runs—a game-changing moment.
KL Rahul’s calm perseverance paid off as he reached his half-century off 37 balls. Thushara, reinstated into the attack, succeeded in dismissing Pooran for a blistering 29-ball 75. Arshad Khan, LSG’s recent hero, was promoted up the order but faltered, being dismissed off his first ball. Soon after, Rahul succumbed to Chawla, and at 178 for six, LSG aimed to breach the 200-run mark. A crucial late surge by Krunal Pandya and Ayush Badoni, laced with vital boundaries, saw LSG close their innings at 214.
In response, MI’s innings began on an optimistic note, courtesy of their opening pair, Rohit Sharma and Dewald Brevis. Brevis stepped up to open in place of Ishan Kishan, and the partnership predominantly highlighted Rohit’s striking form. Rohit, with his illustrious array of shots, enthralled the Wankhede crowd, particularly during the powerplay, crafting a robust platform for the chase.
The duo’s partnership accumulated 88 runs within a little over eight overs, with Brevis contributing 23 of those. Rohit’s quickfire fifty came off just 28 balls. Brevis’s dismissal, however, introduced a consequential slowdown in MI’s chase strategy. It enabled LSG to capitalize, especially when Suryakumar Yadav fell to Krunal Pandya’s crafty bowling in the 10th over. The defining blow surfaced when Ravi Bishnoi dismissed Rohit for a well-compiled 68 in the next over, with the skipper caught at short third-man, firmly swaying the match in LSG’s favor.
Subsequent MI batters grappled with an escalating net run rate, which seemed insurmountable with each over. Despite admirable resistance, spearheaded by the youngster Naman Dhir who powered his way to a half-century in the last over with a six off Naveen-ul-Haq, MI faced a mounting task of 34 runs to win in the final over. Ultimately, with Dhir remaining undefeated on 62 off 28, MI concluded their innings but fell short of the target, a testament to LSG’s strategic bowling despite their middle-over slowdown.
LSG’s collective bowling effort, especially from Krunal Pandya, who delivered a frugal spell of one for 29 in his four overs, and Ravi Bishnoi’s impactful two for 37, proved pivotal. The spinners curbed MI’s momentum during critical phases, decisively contributing to LSG’s rewarding outcome.
As LSG celebrated a hard-fought victory, the match underscored their adaptability and strategic innovation, paving the way for exciting future contests in the TATA IPL.