Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) sealed a thrilling 2-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to become only the second team to confirm a Playoff berth in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai on Wednesday, May 18.
The win sees LSG move into second spot on the IPL 2022 Points Table with 18 points from 14 games. KKR meanwhile bow out of contention to make the knockout rounds as they sit in sixth spot with 12 points.
Quinton de Kock (140 not-out off 70 balls) smashed his way to the highest individual score this season and alongside KL Rahul (68 not-out off 51 balls) put up the highest opening partnership in the IPL to help LSG post an impressive 210/0.
Mohsin Khan (3/20) then picked up important wickets but Rinku Singh (40 off 15 balls) played a blinder as he dragged Kolkata agonisingly close to the finish line. However, Marcus Stoinis (3/23) held his nerve in a thrilling final over to seal a close 2-run victory.
Kolkata’s run-chase got off to a rocky start as Mohsin sent back Venkatesh Iyer on a duck in the first over with de Kock taking a ‘Catch of the Season’ contender behind the wickets. Iyer got a thick inside edge and de Kock threw himself to the right to take a one-handed catch while in full flight.
Mohsin then got debutant Abhijeet Tomar (4) caught in the 3rd over to reduce KKR to 10/2. However, Nitish Rana smashed five fours against Avesh Khan in the next over to wrestle back control for KKR.
Shreyas Iyer joined in from the other end with four, six and four off consecutive balls against Jason Holder in the 5th over. Rana then smashed a hat-trick of fours against Krishnappa Gowtham in the 6th over as KKR raced to 60/2 at the end of the powerplay.
Gowtham though got his revenge in the 8th over as he got Rana (42 off 22 balls) caught out on the very 1st delivery. However, Sam Billings ensured KKR didn’t lose any momentum as he walked out and smashed six, six, four and four off consecutive balls against Avesh Khan in the 10th over.
Together Billings and Shreyas added 66 runs off 40 balls before the pair were split in the 14th over. Stoinis entered the attack and got Shreyas (50 off 29 balls) caught out, immediately after the KKR captain brought up his half-century.
Ravi Bishnoi (1/34) then struck in the 16th over as he got Billings (36 off 24 balls) stumped with a well-disguised slower googly. Mohsin then ended Andre Russell’s (5 off 11 balls) miserable outing in the next over as the KKR batter walked back without hitting a single boundary.
However, Sunil Narine (21 not-out off 7 balls) and Rinku Singh (40 off 15 balls) then smashed 58 runs off just 19 balls to reduce the equation to 21 runs needed off the final over.
Rinku started the final over in breathtaking fashion with a four, six and six off the first three balls from Stoinis before grabbing two runs on the 4th delivery to make it 3 needed off the final 2 balls.
However, Evin Lewis then pulled off a screamer on the penultimate delivery to cause heartbreak for the 24-year-old batter.
Rinku sliced a full delivery from Stoinis high over cover and Lewis came charging in from deep backward point and stuck his left hand out at the last moment to take a stunning one-handed sliding catch.
Stoinis (3/23) then held his nerve to castle Umesh Yadav with a slower yorker on the final delivery and spark off wild celebrations as Lucknow sealed their playoff spot.
Earlier at the Toss, KL Rahul opted to bat as Lucknow made three changes with Manan Vohra, Lewis and Gowtham coming into the side. Kolkata made just one change as Tomar replaced the injured Ajinkya Rahane.
LSG got off to a flyer as both Rahul and de Kock took on the KKR pacers while carefully navigating Sunil Narine (0/27) who bowled an impressive economical spell.
de Kock was the first to get to his fifty off 36 balls in the 12th over. Rahul followed him, getting to his half-century off 41 balls in the 14th over. LSG were still only at 122/0 after 15 overs when de Kock really picked up the pace.
The South African smashed two sixes and a four against Varun Chakaravarthy (0/38) in the 16th over and brought up his second IPL century off 59 balls with a boundary against Russell in the 18th over.
de Kock then smashed a hat-trick of sixes against Tim Southee (0/57) in the penultimate over and saved the best for last as he smashed four back-to-back fours against Russell (0/45) in the final over to fire LSG to 210/0.
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