Lucknow Super Giants defeated Mumbai Indians by 12 runs in Lucknow on Friday night. LSG maintained their unbeaten record against MI at home, winning all three matches. Meanwhile, MI succumbed to their 3rd consecutive away defeat of the season.
Digvesh Rathi show
LSG openers Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram smashed fifties. The Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav smashed a fine half century. The Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya created history by becoming the first captain to take a five-wicket haul in IPL. Yet, none of them were adjudged the player of the match.
Digvesh Rathi, playing in just his 4th IPL match, was deservingly adjudged the player of the match, for his outstanding bowling figures of 1/21 in 4 overs. The performance should be seen from the overall context of the game.
Mumbai Indians bowling attack for the match comprised 4 bowlers – Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Hardik Pandya, Mitchell Santner – with multiple IPL titles. All of them went for more than 9 runs an over in their respective spells. The LSG attack comprised 4 bowlers with experience of representing India in international matches – Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Akash deep – and all of them conceded at least 40 runs in their four-over spells.
24 balls, 8 dots, 1 boundary – Digvesh Rathi is the undisputed player of the match. Kudos to the adjudicator.
Marsh 60, Markram 7 – a strange powerplay
Mitchell Marsh bagged a first-ball duck in the previous game and should have been out for 6 runs in this game as well. However, luck was on his side. Marsh’s faint edge was not spotted by any of the MI fielders, including the bowler, Trent Boult. Marsh drove and pulled effortlessly and smashed his third fifty of the season. He raced to 60 by the end of the powerplay and got out off the very next ball he faced for a 31-ball 60.
Aiden Markram picked up his pace after Marsh’s dismissal and admirably held the innings. He batted till the 18th over for a patient 53 off 38 balls.
Rishabh Pant fails, yet again
Rishabh Pant, the most expensive signing (27 cr) in auction history, got out for yet another low score. After 4 innings, Pant averages 4.75 this season, with scores of 0, 15, 2 & 2. However, Pant will be a relieved man, given that his team has managed to win 2 of the 4 games.
Hardik Pandya scripts history
In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, the onus was on skipper Hardik Pandya to be the enforcer. He stepped up in supreme fashion, dismissing LSG captain Rishabh Pant, the orange cap holder Nicholas Pooran, the half centurion Aiden Markram and his former teammate David Miller. Hardik became the first captain to take a five-wicket haul (5/36) in an IPL match, when he dismissed Akash deep in the penultimate ball of the innings.
Hardik tried his best with the bat as well, scoring 28* off 16. But ultimately, it wasn’t enough to carry his team across the line.
Suryakumar Yadav and Naman Dhir knocks in vain
The makeshift opening pair of Will Jacks and Ryan Rickelton didn’t yield the desired start for MI. Will Jacks, opening in place of the injured Rohit Sharma, made just 5 runs. Rickelton, soon perished for 10 runs to Shardul Thakur.
Suryakumar Yadav (67 off 43) and Naman Dhir (46 off 24) kept the asking rate under control. Naman Dhir’s dismissal to Digvesh created a significant impact, later in the game.
Tilak Varma gets out in a rare fashion
Naman Dhir’s dismissal brought Tilak Varma to the crease. Tilak played an uncharacteristically slow knock. His 25 off 23 sucked the air out of the steep chase. Mumbai Indians management decided to retire out Tilak Varma when 24 was needed from 7 balls. Shardul Thakur bowled a stellar 19th over, conceding just 7 runs (5 singles and a double)
Tilak Varma became the 4th batter in IPL history, after Ravichandran Ashwin, Atharva Taide and Sai Sudharsan to get out in this fashion.
What’s next?
Mumbai Indians host the Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Monday (April 7)
Lucknow Super Giants travel to Kolkata and play the defending champions KKR in a day game on Tuesday (April 8)
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