Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) completed an 18-run win over Mumbai Indians (MI) at Wankhde Stadium on Friday, May 17, in match number 67 of the ongoing IPL 2024. It was the final league match of the season for both teams.
Hardik Pandya won the toss for Mumbai and elected to field first. MI were off to a brilliant start, with Nuwan Thushara getting rid of Devdutt Padikkal for a golden duck in the first over.
Lucknow found themselves in a precarious position, losing wickets at regular intervals. Nicholas Pooran and KL Rahul fought hard, scoring 75 and 55, respectively.
Their knocks, along with an unbeaten 22-run camero from Ayush Badoni helped LSG register 214/4 in 20 overs. Thushara and Piyush Chawla were the pick of the MI bowlers, bagging three wickets each.
In the run chase, former skipper Rohit Sharma roared back to form with an impressive half-century. The veteran batter scored 68 off 38, while Naman Dhir also dazzled the viewers, remaining unbeaten on 62 in 28 balls.
The home team finished at 196/6 after 20 overs, slumping to their 10th defeat in the edition. Ravi Bishnoi and Naveen-ul-Haq claimed two wickets apiece.
Five-time champions Mumbai ended their campaign with the wooden spoon, languishing at the bottom of the points table. Lucknow also have been eliminated from the race to the IPL 2024 playoffs. They are currently sixth in the standings, having won seven of their 14 fixtures.
Here, we take a look at three moments from the MI vs LSG match that generated buzz among the fans.
#1 Nicholas Pooran's hat-trick of sixes in the 15th over of LSG's innings
Nichols Pooran shone with the bat for Lucknow against Mumbai. The southpaw entertained the viewers with his blitzkrieg. He took the opposition bowlers to the cleaners, hitting eight sixes and five fours.
Pooran started the 15th over of LSG's innings by smashing a massive six over deep backward square leg off a low full toss from Arjun Tendulkar. The bowler erred again on the very next ball, bowling yet another full toss which was dispatched for another maximum in the same region.
Arjun walked off the field due to an injury following the first two balls and Naman Dhir was brought in to complete the over. However, the result was still the same, as Pooran completed a hat-trick of sixes by clearing the fence with a slog sweep.
#2 Rohit Sharma's bowing out of IPL 2024 in style
MI opener Rohit Sharma's form was under the scanner following a string of poor performances in IPL 2024. The seasoned campaigner got some much-needed runs under his belt in the team's last match.
He hit 10 fours and three sixes during his stay at the crease, giving the home team some hope. Sharma's half-century will delight Team India supporters, as the batter found form ahead of the all-important 2024 T20 World Cup.
The 37-year-old finished as Mumbai's leading run-getter of the season, amassing 417 runs across 14 innings at a strike rate of 150.00.
#3 Krunal Pandya's awe-inspiring fielding effort
LSG all-rounder Krunal Pandya came up with a spectacular fielding effort to save a six in the final over of the MI innings. Naman Dhir hit a full-length delivery from Naven-ul-Haq towards long-on.
While it initially seemed as if the ball would just about clear the fence, Krunal jumped in the air, collected the ball from one hand, and threw it back to save a maximum.
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