Badoni shines bright despite our loss to the Capitals
Our streak of defending totals over 160 was finally breached on Friday night as Delhi Capitals marched home to victory at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium by six wickets and 11 balls to spare.
After electing to bat first, the unbeaten 73-run partnership between Ayush Badoni and Arshad Khan rescued us from 94/7 and took us to 167. The stand came off 42 balls and set an IPL record for the highest eighth-wicket partnership.
In reply, DC chased down the target in 18.1 overs. Ravi Bishnoi scalped two wickets for 25 in four overs and stood out as our top bowler while debutant Jake Fraser-McGurk top-scored for DC with 55.
The loss also pushed us a spot down on the IPL 2024 points table. With three wins and two losses and a net run rate of 0.436, we are now fourth on the points table.
KL bosses powerplay before Badoni rebuilds
KL Rahul looked in dazzling form tonight and launched his attack with a flat-batted six over cover off Khaleel Ahmed in the third over. Despite losing Quinton de Kock and Devdutt Padikkal at the other end, Rahul took charge against Mukesh Kumar in the final over of the powerplay and smashed consecutive drives for fours.
Rahul contributed 30 off just 14 balls in the powerplay with our score at 57/2. However, the wickets of Stoinis, Pooran and Rahul broke the back of our batting line-up and we were reduced to 94/7.
Despite the collapse, Ayush Badoni and Arshad Khan orchestrated a dramatic fightback.
Badoni, short on runs in his previous games, rescued our innings with an unbeaten 55 off 35 while Arshad played a handy knock of 20 off 16.
In the 15th over, Badoni hammered two crucial boundaries off Mukesh Kumar and alongside Arshad Khan kept the scoreboard ticking with smart running between the wickets.
With the spinners used up and Khaleel Ahmed rolling in for the 18th over, Badoni saw his chance and started the over with a massive six on the first ball. Arshad Khan then powered another boundary down the field to make it a 15-run over.
Badoni then greeted Mukesh Kumar with back-to-back fours to take 13 from the 19th over. The two batters took Ishant Sharma for a boundary each in the final over as we surged past the magical number of 160.
Bishnoi keeps it economical
Yash Thakur carried his wicket-taking form from the previous game and accounted for David Warner in the fourth over.
While the runs kept flowing from the bat of Prithvi Shaw, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Rishabh Pant, Ravi Bishnoi ensured that the Capitals did not run away with the contest.
Bishnoi got rid of Shaw in the seventh over and forced Pant out of his crease in the 16th over. Naveen-ul-Haq, with 1/24 in three overs and Yash Thakur, 1/31 in four overs, were economical as well but the target eventually was chased down comfortably.
What next for the Super Giants?
Our IPL caravan moves to the Eden Gardens to face Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday.
Brief Scores: Lucknow Super Giants 167/7 in 20 overs (Ayush Badoni 55; Kuldeep Yadav 3/20) lose to Delhi Capitals 170/4 in 18.1 overs (Jake Fraser-McGurk 55, Ravi Bishnoi 2/25) by six wickets.
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