In the 68th match of the Indian Premier League 2023, Lucknow Super Giants beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 1 run at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. In a nail-biting thriller, Rinku Singh fought till the end but fell two runs short of the target. With his amazing batting performance, he tried to clinch the game but eventually failed.
Earlier, after winning the toss, KKR skipper Nitish Rana opted to bowl first. His decision went well with the team as LSG failed to get a good start. They were five down for 73 runs after 10 overs and were looking just out of the game. Apart from opener Quinton de Kock and Prerak Mankad no other batter from the top five even looked to time the ball.
De Kock scored 28 runs off 27 balls with the help of two sixes, while Mankad scored 26 runs off 20 balls with the help of five boundaries. After their departure, Nicholas Pooran, along with Ayush Badoni, added 74 runs for the sixth wicket.
Badoni scored 25 runs off 21 balls with the help of two boundaries and a six. On the other hand, Pooran scored 58 runs off 30 balls with the help of four boundaries and five sixes. With their heroism in the end, LSG posted a competitive total of 176/8 in 20 overs. For KKR, Shardul Thakur, Sunil Naraine and Vaibhav Arora clinched two wickets each while Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana got a wicket too.
KKR crumbled against Lucknow’s spin attack
Chasing 177, KKR got a dream start as opener Venkatesh Iyer and Jason Roy added 61 runs off 35 balls for the first wicket. Iyer, in his innings, scored 24 runs off 15 balls with the help of three boundaries and a six. On the other hand, Roy in his innings scored 45 runs off 28 balls with the help of seven boundaries and a six. After their departure, KKR failed to hold their nerves and lost wickets at regular intervals.
Soon Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Andre Russell and Nitish Rana departed under pressure and the asking rate went up to 13 runs per over. In the end, Rinku Singh tried to clinch the game as he smashed yet another half-century. Rinku in his innings scored unbeaten 67 runs off 33 balls with the help of six boundaries and four sixes. His amazing batting performance failed to get the game for the hosts as KKR fell 2 runs short of the target. With this victory, LSG qualified for the playoffs.
Here is how fans react to LSG’s victory:
Finally RCB VS LSG Eliminator ??
— Atul (@dikhhat_hai_) May 20, 2023
Lucky qualification as both MI and KKR bottled their match after great start.
— Shubman Gang (@ShubmanGang) May 20, 2023
This is what Rinku Singh has earned in IPL 2023.
It's never over till he stays on the wicket.
Everybody was tensed in that last over for LSG. pic.twitter.com/HFqe3K0Tvk
— Rahul Sharma (@CricFnatic) May 20, 2023
But again they do not qualify for finals
— Pawan Shukla (@Shukla8175) May 20, 2023
— ????? (@kiran4312) May 20, 2023
Won by 2 Runs vs KKR when Rinku Singh masterclass batting in 2022
Won by 1 Run vs Same KKR when Rinku Singh masterclass batting in 2023
This is Unreal!
But LSG lost in eliminator last time vs RCB, So?— Kaarthi ??? (@Kaarthicherry) May 20, 2023
Scenarios
For MI – a) Win and hope RCB lose
b) If RCB win, MI's margin should be 80 runs moreFor RCB – a) Win & qualify.
b) If lose, qualify if margin < 6 runs & MI lost
c) If wash out then MI must loseFor RR – MI lose & RCB lose (> 5 runs or GT chase < 19.3 ov)
— Sahil Kumar (@sahil_pec) May 20, 2023
Csk fans like me know how much these 1 run defeats hurt ?
— Animelover69 (@BhdAnkur) May 20, 2023
Lord Rinku Singh had seen & showed his place.??.
Yummy the Mangoes are sweet. pic.twitter.com/eiGqosB5N8— Surya Kumar yadav fc (@SKY_FanCulb) May 20, 2023
Gg will soon cry in next match
— VK18 ? (@ParamSh10733348) May 20, 2023
