LSG vs MI Highlights: Stoinis Knock Help Lucknow To Beat Mumbai
Mohsin Khan defended 11 runs of the last over which helped Lucknow to beat Mumbai by 5 runs
Crickate
LSG vs MI Highlights: When Lucknow Super Giants retained Marcus Stonis for 10 crore ahead of the 2023 Indian Premier League season, it was an obvious indication of how highly the team management regarded his talent. The Australian performed well with both the bat and the ball as the team finished third in their inaugural season after losing in the semifinals to the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
On Tuesday, the all-rounder once again demonstrated his value by scoring another unbeaten half-century to help the hosts, who urgently needed a win to inch closer to the playoffs, notch a thrilling five-run victory over five-time champions Mumbai Indians.
Tim David (32*, 19b, 3x4, 1x6) and Cameron Green (6*, 4b) were unable to score 11 runs off the final six deliveries as Mohsin Khan did an excellent job of securing the win. MI needed 11 runs off the final six balls to chase down 178.
MI openers Ishan Kishan (59 off 39 balls, 8x4, 1x6) and captain Rohit Sharma (37 off 26 balls, 1x4, 3x6) set the tone for their side early on, but after they were dismissed in rapid succession, things became more difficult. After scoring only seven runs, Surya Kumar Yadav dragged a delivery from outside off back onto the stumps. The LSG fielders' excellent handling also contributed to the team's victory against the odds.
Rohit misread a delivery from Bishnoi and attempted to slog it on the on-side, but it did not come out of the middle and Hooda easily claimed it. The wickets of the inexperienced leg-spinner and the high-scoring Kishan proved to be the deciding factor on the day.
The large audience at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium was buoyed by Stonis' unbeaten 89 off 47 balls, which included eight fours and an equal number of sixes, as LSG posted a challenging 177/3 after being asked to bat first. This was also his season-high point total.
However, two good overs by spinners Ravi Bishnoi (3 runs) and Krunal Pandya (1 run) in the middle of the MI innings turned things around for LSG, who now have 15 points with one match remaining -- against hosts Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata -- in the league stage.
Stoinis, who struck the game-winning fifty against Sunrisers Hyderabad last week, continued his fine form. LSG were in trouble at 35/3 after 6.1 overs, but the Australian soon found his groove. Together, he and captain Krunal Pandya (49*, 42b, 1x4, 1x6) steered the team to 117/3 with an 82-run partnership before the captain retired injured.
Stonis persisted nonetheless. Together with the other in-form batsman, Nicholas Pooran, who scored eight runs per delivery and one four, he scored sixty runs off of twenty-four balls. Additionally, the all-rounder scored 24 runs in the 18th over, leaving pacer Chris Jordan (6, 0, 4, 4, 6, 4) frustrated.
Throughout the majority of MI's innings, however, it appeared that Stoinis's knock would have no impact. As is typical in Twenty20 matches, the contest changed in the span of a few overs.
