Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) clinched a five-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match 10 of TATA IPL 2023 held at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Krunal Pandya was the hero of the match, delivering a fantastic all-round performance, taking three wickets for just 18 runs and scoring 34 runs off 23 balls.
LSG's spinners put the brakes on SRH's batting charge, restricting them to 121/8 in their 20 overs. In reply, LSG chased down the target comfortably with four overs and five wickets to spare.
Defending 121, SRH got off to a rocky start as Bhuvneshwar Kumar conceded 13 runs in the first over, which included a four and five wides. But KL Rahul and opener Mayers steadied the LSG ship, adding 35 runs for the first wicket. Hooda joined Rahul, and they mixed caution with aggression to keep the scoreboard ticking. LSG reached 45/2 at the end of the Powerplay.
Rahul and Krunal added a crucial 55-run partnership, with Krunal hitting four fours and a six before he got out for 34 runs off 23 balls. Rahul played a composed knock of 35 runs off 31 balls. However, SRH fought back and took two quick wickets, but Stoinis (10* off 13) and Nicholas Pooran (11* off 6) made sure there were no more slip-ups as they took LSG past the finish line with 24 balls to spare.
Earlier, SRH captain Aiden Markram won the toss and chose to bat first. However, LSG bowlers started off well, not conceding a boundary for the first eleven balls. Anmolpreet Singh finally opened the boundary account as he pulled one over fine leg for a six off Jaydev Unadkat. LSG all-rounder Krunal Pandya bounced back and had Mayank caught at short extra cover for 8 to provide the first breakthrough for his team.
Anmolpreet Singh and Markram tried to build a partnership, but Bishnoi and Krunal kept things tight and reaped rewards. Krunal trapped Anmolpreet LBW for 31(26), and then produced a beauty to bowl Markram for 7. Bishnoi made it three wickets in two overs for LSG as he had Harry Brook stumped with a wily leg-spinner to reduce SRH to 55/4.
SRH went without a boundary for 29 balls before Rahul Tripathi hit one off Stoinis. SRH reached 63/4 at the halfway mark. Runs were hard to come by, and SRH struggled to find the boundaries, eventually setting a target of 121 runs for LSG.
In the end, it was Krunal Pandya's excellent performance that gave LSG their second win of the tournament. With this win, LSG moved up to fourth place on the points table, while SRH slipped to the bottom.