'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) batter Ayush Badoni stepped up for his side under pressure in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). The right-handed batter scored an unbeaten 55 runs off 30 deliveries at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Wednesday, May 8, to help LSG post a competitive 165-4 in the first innings.
The visitors struggled on a slow pitch and were reduced to 66/4 in the 11th over, at which point, Ayush Badoni came out to bat. The youngster had Nicholas Pooran for company at the other end, and the pair had the task of repairing the innings, which at that moment arguably looked beyond repair.
Badoni started cautiously as the situation demanded, before taking on T Natarajan for three boundaries in the 14th over. He continued his onslaught against the left-arm pacer, scoring three more boundaries against him. However, the highlight of his innings came in the final over, when he pulled off a reverse lap against Pat Cummins right after reaching the 50-run mark.
Fans hailed Badoni's ability to perform under pressure on social media. Here are some of the reactions:
"It's not about the Pitch, It's about Mindset," one fan wrote.
"Little pocket dynamite Ayush Badoni is reverse sweeping Patrick James Cummins with ease," another fan remarked.
"Badoni has given life to this game," one tweet read.
"It's not a wicket where you can go from ball one" - Ayush Badoni
Nicholas Pooran and Ayush Badoni finished with strike rates of 184 and 183 respectively, but the next best strike rate was Krunal Pandya's 114 while the entire top order remained stuck in two digits.
"The wicket was on the slower side, just wanted to take it deep and just play cricketing shots, didn't want to throw my wicket away. It's not a wicket where you can go from ball one. The bowlers were bowling short slower balls, so I was looking to find the gap on the shorter square. It's a good score if the dew doesn't come, I think our bowlers will defend it. As of now, there's no dew," Badoni said during the innings break.
Ayush Badoni's innings has given LSG a chance in the must-win clash. The visitors began with Krishnappa Gowtham with the new ball against the left-handed duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. As of writing, SRH are placed at 58/0 after 3.4 over of the run chase.
