Lucknow Super Giants’ overseas batters Kyle Mayers (54, 24b, 7×4, 4×6), Marcus Stoinis (72, 40b, 6×4, 5×6) and Nicholas Pooran (45, 19b, 7×4, 1×6) put on a sensational exhibition of T20 batting to catapult their side to a mammoth 257 for five against Punjab Kings at the I.S. Bindra Stadium on Friday. Super Giants’ total was just six short of the highest-ever score in the IPL (263 for five, RCB vs Pune Warriors, 2013) as it defeated the hosts by a comprehensive margin of 56 runs. Before this contest, Super Giants had come under criticism for their conservative approach after botching the chase of 136 in their previous game against Gujarat Titans after being 106 for one at one stage.
On Friday, there was a dramatic shift in the approach of K.L. Rahul’s men. Mayers wasted no time going after the bowlers as he slammed Arshdeep Singh for four boundaries in the second over. After a square-drive and a pull, Mayers hit one past Arshdeep, forcing the bowler to take evasive action. It was a sign of things to come for the Kings bowlers.
In the next over, the West Indian went after debutant Gurnoor Brar, hitting the young pacer for a six and four over midwicket before going after off-spinner Sikandar Raza. The left-hander raced to his half-century off just 19 balls, lofting Kagiso Rabada down the ground for a six. I had made my first live blog during PBKS VS LSG match so visit and support !!!
Unstoppable Stoinis
In seven previous innings this season, Stoinis had been dismissed for 21 or less five times, including a duck in his last game against Chennai Super Kings. But when he’s got into his groove, LSG have prospered. He’d slammed 65 off 30 in a successful chase of 213 against Royal Challengers Bangalore, and here in Mohali Stoinis was similarly brutal. It began with a free-hit off the second legal ball of the eighth over, which Stoinis flicked for six off Gurnoor.
The next ball was driven for four, and Stoinis was away. In the tenth over, he guided Sam Curran for four behind point; and when the bowler tried a slower delivery, he put him away with a short-arm pull. There was a life in the 13th over when Liam Livingstone’s left foot tickled the rope while he caught Stoinis on the long-off boundary, off Rahul Chahar. Stoinis soon reached fifty from 31 balls, his innings of 72 eventually featuring five sixes.
Marcus Stoinis played an excellent knock against PBKS !!!
Badoni and Pooran keep the fireworks going
The bowlers had no respite when Stoinis was off strike. Badoni put on 89 for the third wicket with Stoinisk and struck three fours and three sixes while rushing along at a strike rate close to 180. His dismissal in the 14th over brought Pooran to the crease, and he immediately hit Liam Livingstone for three successive fours. Pooran’s 45 off 19 featured just a solitary six, a swivel-pull that sailed high over fine leg, but there were seven fours, most of them timed beautifully through gaps in the outfield, with a late squeeze behind point of Arshdeep standing out.
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