IPL 2024 LSG Beat PBKS by 21 Runs

Lucknow Super Giants defeated Punjab Kings by 21 runs. After Quinton de Kock's fifty, Nicholas Pooran and Krunal Pandya's stormy innings saw Lucknow collect 199 runs for 8 wickets. In reply, despite a great start in the opening pair, Punjab could not win the match due to the failure of the rest. Punjab captain Shikhar Dhawan had to see defeat despite scoring 70 runs.

Earlier of the Match in a surprising turn of events, KL Rahul gave his captaincy to Nicholas Pooran for the LSG vs PBKS match today. The stand-in skipper won the toss and opted to bat first. Explaining Rahul’s decision, Pooran said that Rahul has suffered an injury, and the team has decided to play him as an impact sub.

The two openers Quinton de Kock and Lokesh Rahul started the innings at a fast pace. However, Lucknow captain Lokesh Rahul did not last long. In the fourth over of the innings, he fell victim to Arshdeep Singh for 35 runs. 15 runs off 9 balls from his bat. After that, the angel quickly returned. Stoinis could not play a big innings either. He scored 19 runs with the help of two sixes from 12 balls.

Then de Kock build a partnership with Nicholas Pooran. In between, de Kock scored his fifty off 34 balls, which is his 21st in the IPL. De Kock could not go far with his fifty. He returned with a catch in the hands of Jitesh Sharma while playing a pull shot off Arshdeep Singh for a personal 54 runs. Nicholas Pooran played a tornado innings of 42 runs with three fours and a six off 21 balls before falling to Kagiso Rabada.

In the end, Krunal Pandya alone pulled Lucknow. He played an unbeaten innings of 43 runs off 22 balls with four fours and two sixes. In the end, Lucknow's collection stood at 199 runs for 8 wickets. This is the highest run in the IPL at Lucknow's ground.

In chasing a big target two openers Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow gave Punjab Kings a good start. They hit four sixes in the power play. Dhawan and Bairstow built a hundred partnership within 11 overs. Lucknow pacer Mayank Yadav struck first in the Punjab camp in the next over.

After that, impact player Prabhsimran Singh started scoring quick runs along with captain Shikhar Dhawan. But Prabhasimran Singh could not do much. He became Mayank Yadav's second victim in his IPL debut.

Then apart from Shikhar Dhawan no other batsmen marked impact for Punjab. Punjab captain Shikhar Dhawan. Before getting out, he played an amazing innings of 70 runs off 50 balls with seven fours and three sixes. At the end of 20th over Punjab Kings innings stopped at 178. And Lucknow Super Giants gets their first TATA IPL 2024 win.

Player of the Match: Mayank Yadav won the man of the match award by taking three wickets in his debut match. He also bowled the fastest (155.8 KMPH) ball of the IPL 2024 season.

Mayank Yadav after winning the Player of The Match award

 I never thought it would be such a good debut. Was nervous before the match. Tried to stick to my pace and aim at the stumps. Was thinking about using slower ones initially, but stuck to the quick ones. The first wicket (Bairstow) was special. It's good to debut at such a young age. Had a few goals, but can't help if injuries come in the way.