"Wah! Kya acting kar raha hai" - Twitterati react as Krunal Pandya gets retired hurt on 49 in LSG vs MI clash

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Krunal Pandya played a crucial 49-run knock during the team's IPL 2023 clash against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, May 16.

The Lucknow-based side were off to a disastrous start after being asked to bat first. Krunal walked out in the third over when LSG were reeling at 12/2. The southpaw showcased great composure under pressure to steady the ship for his team.

Krunal scored 49 runs off 42 balls before being retired hurt ahead of the 17th over. While he finished with an ordinary strike rate of 116.67, many fans lauded the all-rounder for his sensible batting.

However, certain fans suggested that it may have been a tactical move by the LSG skipper to ensure that Nicholas Pooran could come in for the last four overs.

Here's how Twitterati reacted after the LSG captain walked off the field:

Notably, Krunal stitched together an important 82-run stand for the fourth wicket with Marcus Stoinis, which is the highest partnership at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in IPL 2023.

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Marcus Stoinis' power-packed innings help LSG finish at 177/3 after 20 overs

Marcus Stoinis starred with the bat for Lucknow in the crucial tie against Mumbai. The swashbuckling batter changed gears at the right time, upping the ante towards the back end of the innings.

He scored 24 runs in the 18th over of Chris Jordan's bowling, shifting the momentum in Lucknow's favour. The right-handed batter remained unbeaten on 89 off just 47 deliveries, including four boundaries and eight towering sixes.

Stoinis' knock helped Lucknow reach an impressive 177-run total on a tricky surface. For Mumbai, Jason Behrendorff picked up two wickets, while Piyush Chawla bagged a solitary scalp.

The Krunal Pandya-led side have 13 points to their kitty after 12 matches and are placed fourth in the points table. Mumbai, on the other hand, have 14 points from 12 outings and occupy third spot.