IPL 2024: Yash Thakur, Krunal Pandya power LSG to first-ever win over GT
Yash Thakur stepped in the absence of Mayank Yadav with a sensational five-wicket haul as LSG ended its four-match losing streak against GT in the Indian Premier League with a 33–run win at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Gujarat got off to a good start in the power play with Sai Sudharsan and skipper Shubman Gill scoring over 50 runs. However, the wicket of the captain on the last ball of the sixth over completely changed the momentum of the game. The visitors went from 54 for none to 61 for 4 which put them well behind the game. A couple of questions could be asked about the shot selection of the batters as they were not chasing a big target here. They never really recovered from that and failed to build up any significant partnerships losing wickets at regular intervals as well. Rahul Tewatia played a few lusty blows towards the end but that was never going to be enough as they ultimately fell short by 33 runs.
Lucknow will be extremely pleased with their bowling effort. They were a bit expensive in the Powerplay but Yash Thakur provided them with a crucial breakthrough by getting rid of Shubman Gill. It was then followed up by a stunning catch from Ravi Bishnoi on his bowling to get the wicket of Kane Williamson. After that, they just took control of the game and never allows their opposition to come back. Krunal Pandya was sensational in the middle overs picking up three wickets and giving away just 11 runs. Yash Thakur then came back and bowled the first double-wicket maiden of this season which only made matters worse for Gujarat.
Earlier in the day, Marcus Stoinis scored a solid fifty, his first of the tournament, while Nicholas Pooran’s late cameo steered LSG to a commendable total of 163 for 5. Opting to bat first, LSG relied on Stoinis’ composed 58 off 43 deliveries, complemented by a crucial 73-run partnership with skipper KL Rahul (33 off 31) for the third wicket. Pooran’s aggressive 32 off 22 balls towards the end bolstered LSG’s innings further. The match witnessed an eventful first over from Umesh Yadav (2/22), who initially faced a setback against Quinton de Kock but quickly recovered to dismiss him. Devdutt Padikkal also fell victim to Yadav’s bowling prowess shortly after, leaving Gujarat Titans at 18 for 2 after three overs.
Rahul, displaying his impeccable form, gracefully maneuvered the ball to the boundary against Spencer Johnson, accumulating 13 runs in the fourth over. Despite his fine performance, Rahul’s innings was cut short in the 13th over when he attempted a forceful shot off Darshan Nalkande, only to be caught by Rahul Tewatia at long-on. Stoinis, granted a lifeline on 43, capitalized on the opportunity by smashing Nalkande for a maximum, ultimately reaching his fifty in 40 balls. However, his innings concluded as he aimed for another big hit, resulting in a catch by wicketkeeper BR Sharath. Pooran then added the finishing touches to LSG’s innings with a flurry of powerful strokes.