Watch: Gambhir bangs the table repeatedly after LSG survive Rinku storm
LSG not only survived Rinku onlasught but also 'Virat Kohli' chant in second innings at Eden Gardens.
Crickate
Gautam Gambhir understands what it takes to triumph at Eden Gardens and in front of the crowd in Kolkata. Between 2011 and 2017, he spent seven IPL seasons with the Kolkata Knight Riders, guiding them to their only two championships. When Gambhir returned to the field on Saturday, however, his function was entirely different. He was a coach for the visiting Lucknow Super Giants team.
And eventually, he did have the last chuckle as LSG won the thriller and advanced to the playoffs, but not before surviving not only a Rinku Singh onslaught but also the wild "Virat Kohli" chants that erupted during the second innings. Gambhir's fervent celebration following the victory encapsulated the situation precisely.
After Chennai Super Kings' resounding victory over Delhi Capitals earlier in the day, Lucknow faced an uphill battle against Delhi Capitals. LSG had to win by a significant margin in order to secure a spot in the top two, let alone a quarterfinal berth. In an attempt to play aggressive cricket, the top order soon lost their composure, and only Nicholas Pooran's fiery half-century brought them to 176 for eight.
Jason Roy and Venkatesh Iyer joined forces for a 61-run partnership as Kolkata, who had a slim chance of making the playoffs, got off to a stellar start. The Eden Gardens audience taunted Gambhir and Naveen-ul-Haq with "Kohli" chants at this time. After their dismissal, however, LSG spinners gagged on runs and the KKR middle order collapsed. In addition to Yash Thakur and Naveen, Ravi Bishnoi, Krishnappa Gowtham, and Krunal Pandya were impressive with the ball.
But then the Rinku performance began. With 40 required off the final two overs, he smashed the Afghanistan quick for 20 runs and nearly led KKR to victory, but ultimately fell one run shy.
With LSG winning the nail-biter and advancing to the semifinals, Gambhir erupted in jubilation. He repeatedly struck the table and then embraced one of his LSG teammates. He lacked a smirk throughout the entire act.
Watch the video here...https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1659983739194318848?s=20
Despite their victory, LSG were unable to surpass Chennai in terms of net run rate, meaning that CSK will face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2023, while Lucknow will have to wait until the final day of the league to learn who they will face in the Eliminator.
