In a game with average totals at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Lucknow Super Giants
ruined Rajasthan Royals’ homecoming by successfully defending 154, the lowest
total in IPL
After almost four years, the Royals finally played in Jaipur. They held Super Giants to
154 for 7. In response, they needed 66 runs from the next eight overs after being 89
for 1 after 12 overs. However, Marcus Stoinis and Avesh Khan took advantage of the
slowness of the surface by smacking the ball in the centre of the pitch to make it
tough to score runs
The pressure on the Royals hitters increased as the asking rate went up. In the 17th
over, Ravi Bishnoi gave up just six runs with 48 needed from four overs. Devdutt
Padikkal hit three fours off Stoinis in the following over to keep Super Giants in the
game, but Naveen-ul-Haq bowled a superb 19th over, giving up only 10 runs and left
Avesh with 18 to defend.
In the last over, Riyan Parag hit a four and a leg-bye before Avesh got rid of Padikkal
and Dhruv Jurel in quick succession to secure the victory
Stoinis and Avesh turn it around
When Stoinis took Jaiswal’s wicket, who led one low to Avesh at short third, the
Royals were quietly progressing towards their goal. Samson was run out in the
following two overs, and Buttler grounded out to deep midwicket from Stoinis for 40
off 41.
With Padikkal and Shimron Hetmyer in the middle and 56 required from six overs,
the Royals were still the favourite to win. The needed rate exceeded ten for the first
time in the chase after Naveen’s modest five leaks in the fifteenth. Hetmyer
attempted to combat Avesh but was only successful in two. As a result, Super Giants
had the upper hand in the game and didn’t offer the Royals a chance moving
forward
Lucknow Super Giants 154 for 7 (Mayers 51, Rahul 39, Ashwin 2-23)
beat Rajasthan Royals 144 for 6 (Jaiswal 44, Buttler 40, Avesh 3-25,
Stoinis 2-28) by 10 runs