Mayank Yadav was too hot to handle. The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pacer cranked it up, going as high as 156.7 kmph, forcing Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to back away from the fight.
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The Mayank fire was lit in his first over, when he pinned Glenn Maxwell with a quick, short ball. Mayank then created magic, when he castled Australian Cameron Green with sheer pace. Green was much too late on the express delivery, meekly losing his off-stump.
Rajat Patidar was Mayank’s third victim — another short ball doing the trick. The home team, out for the count after Mayank’s blows, lost by 28 runs.
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RCB vs LSG Live Score Updates, IPL 2024
RCB’s hopes rested on Impact Player Mahipal Lomror (33, 13b, 3x4, 3x6), who kept the crowd interested with some big hits. But when he fell in the 18th over, RCB’s fate was sealed.
RCB would have believed it gained a big advantage by winning the toss and opting to chase.
On a sticky M. Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch, it was left to Quinton de Kock (81, 56b, 8x4, 5x6) and Nicholas Pooran (40 n.o., 21b, 1x4, 5x6) to take LSG to a respectable total.
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Opener de Kock waged a lone hand at the top of the order. De Kock received a life on 32, when Maxwell failed to hold on to a tough chance at mid-off.
LSG skipper K.L. Rahul, cleared to play after recovering from an injury, was tentative in his 14-ball 20. Devdutt Padikkal (6) was sent back through an excellent catch from wicketkeeper Anuj Rawat. de Kock cut loose in the 13th over, when he hammered a wayward Green for two sixes and a four.
RCB was quickly back on top, as LSG limped to 148 for five in 18 overs. Pooran sprung into action against left-arm seamer Reece Topley, who in search of the wide yorker, erred with full tosses. Pooran hit it into the point stands for two sixes, and then smashed a short ball onto the stadium roof. Pooran hit two maximums in the final over, bowled by Mohammed Siraj, to give LSG a crucial late fillip.