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IPL 2024: Badoni, Pooran efforts lift Super Giants to 165/4
CHENNAI: Ayush Badoni's valuable 55 not out and Nicholas Pooran's quickfire 48 not out came in handy for Lucknow Super Giants to post 165 for 4 in 20 overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday. The duo added 99 runs for the unbeaten fifth wicket partnership. Opting to bat, Lucknow had a disastrous start as they lost Quinton de Kock cheaply after the South African pulled a length ball from Bhuvneshwar to backward square leg. The ball seemed to be soaring over the ropes, but Nitish Kumar Reddy was calm. He timed his jump to perfection and held on to the ball, then realized that he was stepping onto the ropes, lobbed the ball in the air, went over and came back to take the rebound. Now, a lot depended upon skipper KL Rahul and Marcus Stoinis to do the rescue act and consolidate. But that was not to be. The dangerous and hard-hitting Stoinis miscued a pull shot off Bhuvneshwar with Sanvir Singh taking a stunning catch at mid-on. After that, Rahul and Krunal Pandya made a sincere effort to stem the rot but met with limited success. Rahul took on Cummins, while Krunal was harsh on Jaydev Unadkat, carting the fast bowler for two consecutives sixes. Rahul fell to Cummins, while Krunal was unlucky to be run out. Lucknow were reduced to 66 for 4 in 11.2 overs. Badoni, who is known to have an uncanny knack of scoring runs at a fast clip, joined Pooran in what was the best phase for Lucknow. Badoni did not allow the pressure to swallow and played fluently. His three boundaries in a T Natarajan over showed his intent and class. He raced to his fifty in just 28 balls. Barring Bhuvneshwar Kumar, none of the hosts' fast bowlers were impressive. Hyderabad spinners Shahbaz Ahmed and Vijayakanth Visayakanth were economical when compared to their medium pacers. In the death overs, both Badoni and Pooran went for big shots, taking LSG to 165/4.
Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium: Ayush Badoni smashed 28 ball half-century as Nicholas Pooran's 26 deliveries 48 as the duo recorded the highest fifth wicket partnership of 99 runs which propelled Lucknow Super Giants to 165 for 4 against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. Lucknow went off to a shaking start as Quinton de Kock was sent back by Bhuvneshwar Kumar courtesy of a flying catch by Nitish Kumar Reddy at deep square leg for a five-ball two runs. Reddy made the catch look easy as he lobbed the ball back in when stepping over and came back in to claim it. Kumar struck again to dismiss dangerous Marcus Stoinis (3) as Sanvir Singh took a low catch diving forward at mid-on. LSG scored 27 runs in the Power Play--their slowest before this was 45. Debutant Vijayakanth Viyaskanth came for his first over and hit some perfect areas and gave only three in his first. First impressions of a leggie quick through the air, didnt turn any of the balls big, but showed his variations: the wrong'un, the front-of-the-hand ball. First impressions of a leggie quick through the air, didnt turn any of the balls big, but has shown his variations: the wrong'un, the front-of-the-hand ball. Skipper KL Rahul on the other end played the anchor role and was struggling with 20 runs in 25 deliveries but Krunal Pandya showed intent to score big when he launched back-to-back sixes to Jaydev Unadkat in the eighth over. A slower bouncer from Jaydev Unadkat, almost head high, but Pandya flat-batted it for a six over long-on. The next one was more orthodox, a drive back over Unadkat's head as he pitched it up and gave the pace. LSG were reeling on 45 for 2 in eight overs. Skipper Pat Cummins got the prize wicket of Rahul as he bowled on pace, sliding onto the pads, Rahul felt he had to have a swing at it and flicked it in the air, trying to go behind square on the leg side, but was caught at deep square, and went for 29 off 33. Cummins hit down the middle stump to get rid of Pandya on 24. Finally, the run rate went past six an over with Ayush Badoni maneuvering T Natarajan for three boundaries in the 14th over. Then Nicholas Pooran smashed a six of the debutant and Badoni ended the over with a boundary as Viyaskanth ended his spell without a wicket giving away 27 runs. T Natarajan went for 35 runs in three overs as Badoni moved around in the crease and managed to place him in the gaps. Badoni is not a power-hitter but in a game where the seven and over might be the going rate, his pitch was right up his alley. He was 35 off 19, and the partnership went to 59 off 33 with Pooran. Both the batters collected 15 off Natarajans last over and with a boundary on the very first ball of Cummins LSG went par 150. Badoni reached his fifty off just 28 balls and kept LSG alive in this contest. He has manipulated fields and the lines of the bowlers by moving around in the crease and has also played some orthodox shots just hard enough to clear the field. Unfortunately, Natarajan also got his fifty, conceding 15 in the 19th over. The 52-ball 99-run partnership for the fifth wickets between Badoni and Pooran--highest for LSG for the fifth wickets-- helped them to recover from 66 for 4 to 165 for 4 at the end of 20 overs. Badoni remained unbeaten on 55 as Pooran struck 26 balls 48. Brief score: Lucknow Super Giants 165 for 4 in 20 overs (Ayush Badoni 55 not out, Nicholas Pooran 48 not out; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2-12, Pat Cummins 1-47) against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Fearless approach by openers have done wonders: KKR coach Pandit
CHENNAI: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), with 16 points, are at the top of the points table. KKR chief coach Chandrakant Pandit is pleased with the way things have gone so far and insists that his team has no time to relax and should play with the same momentum and become the first team to make it to the playoffs. Very happy with the way the boys have performed (to top the table). The team environment is excellent. The dressing room is fantastic and everybody's happy for each other. But still, there are another three matches to go and we have to continue with our momentum, that is more important for us, Pandit told The New Indian Express . Kolkata, at the start of the season, made the right moves by bringing back their two-time winning captain Gautam Gambhir as mentor and later picked the world best left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc to bolster their attack. At the start of the tournament we never thought that we would top the table at the half-way mark. Every team is good in this format and is fighting well in this tournament. Obviously, every team wants to be on top of the table. But how it goes, how it goes with the momentum and how the team is doing, so that is more important. So obviously every team wants to win the trophy. Every team wants to qualify for the playoff. The competition is tough, credit to the boys in the way they have performed consistently and topped the table, said the former India wicketkeeper. Shreyas Iyer has been leading remarkably well and has shown the ability to extract the best from his players. The players have gelled as unit and have been performing at crucial junctures in turns. Shreyas has been doing a wonderful job. In fact, he is a very calm and cool captain. He is always backing the bowlers on the field and he's taking the responsibility. He's becoming the role model for the entire team and he's doing a wonderful job, complimented Pandit. KKR owes its success to its opening pair of Philip Salt and Sunil Narine. The duo has shown the ability to lay the platform to post good totals and also help chase down the same. They have combined really well. Basically, he's (Sunil) has been given a role and he's been fulfilling that role for the team and whatever ability he's got he is putting to effective use. In fact, we are very happy as a team for the opening stands that we have been getting in the first six overs. Salt has been doing a wonderful job. And more than anything else is that every individual has been contributing and taking responsibility that augurs well for our team, explained the coach. It is not a surprise for us (Narine's show with the bat). Sunil has been given a particular role and he is excelling in it. And then, you know, one should not forget that he has done well in the past also as a batter. His success as an opener is due to the clarity of the role given to him. So I think he's (Sunil) fulfilling that, the requirement of the team. This little fearless approach has done wonders and that's good, he added. With Starc, Dushmantha Chameera, Chetan Sakariya, Harshit Rana, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy and Suyash Sharma in the ranks, KKR have variety in their bowling attack. We have a lot of experience and variety in our attack and that's one of the reasons for our success. The bowlers know their roles and like I said earlier Shreyas has been able to get the best out of them, said the 62-year old. One of the bowlers who has been delivering for KKR for the last few seasons in a quiet manner is Tamil Nadu's own Varun Chakravarthy. You know he's (Varun) has always been a top bowler. We've seen that in the past tournament as well. He's been one of the leading bowlers. And the combination of Sunil and Varun has really worked for us. Let's hope that they continue with this. Because one must understand that it's a very hard task for the bowlers. Whichever bowler you talk about in the IPL from any team, the game and format is such that the bowlers have very little margin of error, said Pandit. In the business end of the league stage what will KKR strategy be? Will they go for a couple of changes or play the same combination? There were doubts about Salt's availability with the England-Pakistan series beginning on May 22. ''Salt is available. No, we will play the same combination as far as possible. We have to maintain that position till we qualify. And of course then when the second half after the qualifying, how we go forward, that is more important and we will decide at that time. The confidence level is very high in the team. Every individual, every support staff is working behind them, that is a great thing. Not only the players who are playing, but players who are sitting on the bench are also equally enthusiastic and you know helping each other. That creates a happy atmosphere in the dressing room,'' said Pandit.
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