Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffered one of the most shocking defeats in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), failing to score 30 runs off 35 balls despite having nine wickets in hand.
Captain KL Rahul and Krunal Pandya were going strong, with LSG on 106/1 after 14.2 overs in the 135-run chase. Noor Ahmad removed Krunal and the runs started drying up for LSG. With 17 runs needed off 12 balls, Mohammed Shami conceded only five runs to setup a final-over thriller.
The last over saw the hosts Lucknow Super Giants’ implosion. Mohit Sharma removed a well-set KL Rahul for 68 and incoming Marcus Stoinis for a duck on consecutive balls. Gujarat Titans ran out Ayush Badoni and Deepak Hooda on the fourth and fifth balls to snatch a seven-run win on Saturday (April 22).
Former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad slammed KL Rahul’s LSG for bottling the run chase, calling their approach “brainless”.
Bottling a run chase when 30 needed of 35 balls with 9 wickets in hand requires some baffling batting. Happened with Punjab in 2020 on few ocassions losing games they should have won easily. As brilliant as Guj were with ball & Hardik smart with his captaincy, brainless from Lko — Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) April 22, 2023
“Bottling a run chase when 30 needed of 35 balls with 9 wickets in hand requires some baffling batting. Happened with Punjab in 2020 on few ocassions losing games they should have won easily. As brilliant as Guj were with ball & Hardik smart with his captaincy, brainless from Lko,” Prasad tweeted.
Former India opener Virender Sehwag also criticised LSG, saying: “Ufff, how could you lose that. Brilliant from Gujarat. Outstanding bowling and captaincy to defend that.”
“I don’t know how it happened, but it has happened. I can’t put a finger on where it went wrong, but we lost 2 points, this is cricket. I thought we were brilliant with the ball, 135 was 10 runs under par, the bowling was exceptional, we started well with the bat, but these things happen, we’ll have to take it on the chin,” KL Rahul said after the match.
