Pacer Avesh Khan held his nerve in the death overs to help Lucknow Super Giants pull off a thrilling two-run win over Rajasthan Royals with a tight three-wicket spell in their IPL match in Jaipur on Saturday. The Royals were cruising at 156 for 2 at the end of the 17th over, needing 25 runs from three overs with eight wickets in hand. But, Khan conceded five runs in the 18th over and took two wickets — Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal — before defending nine runs off the final over.
In a tense final over, Khan dismissed Shimron Hetmyer (12) and conceded just six runs to hand LSG a memorable victory as RR ended at 178 for 5 in 20 overs, while chasing 181 for a win.
It was heartbreak for the Royals, who lost from a dominant position to slump to their fourth straight loss — and sixth defeat in eight matches. LSG climbed to the fourth spot after the win. Earlier in the day, Gujarat Titans beat Delhi Capitals to top the charts. LSG’s Nicholas Pooran, with 368 runs, holds the Orange Cap. GT’s Prasidh Krishna holds the Purple Cap with 14 wickets.
In the run chase, Jaiswal (74 off 52 balls) continued his roaring form with an entertaining fifty, while 14-year-old IPL’s youngest player Vaibhav Suryavanshi (34 off 20 balls) made an instant impact on his debut as the left-handed opening duo stitched 85 runs in 8.4 overs in an rolicking partnership.
Jaiswal anchored the innings, hitting five fours and four sixes during his knock.
The Royals’ run chase began in spectacular fashion with Suryavanshi coming out as impact substitute, along with Jaiswal, as the Sawai Mansingh Stadium cheered him all through.
All of 14 years and 23 days, Suryavanshi struck a six in the first delivery of his IPL career, hoisting Shardul Thakur over extra-cover boundary to join an exclusive 10-member club.
He meted out the same punishment to Khan in the next over in a sensational start to his career.
Suryavanshi was, though, dropped on 14 by Ravi Bishnoi.
The other opener Jaiswal, who is nine years older to Suryavanshi, then took over, hitting Shardul for a six and a four and two maximums off Aiden Markram. Another six off Jaiswal who was on fire took the Royals to 61 for no loss at the end of powerplay.
They were on song at 10 runs an over before Suryavanshi’s entertaining innings of 34 off 20 balls came to an end.
The youngster was beaten by a slower delivery from Markram and Pant affected a stumping.
Suryavanshi took the referral but he was unsuccessful. He left the pitch distraught though he has made an impact on his debut.
Nitish Rana, who scored a half century in RR’s previous match, did not last long as he got out in the last ball of the 10th over for eight runs from seven balls.
The Royals were well-placed at 94 for 2 at the halfway stage with a well-set Jaiswal.
RR needed just 25 runs from the final three overs but Khan turned the match on its head in the magical 18th over.
He yorked Jaiswal with the first ball, and then had Parag LBW off the last one with a similar delivery.
Earlier, Markram and Ayush Badoni struck half centuries to help LSG recover from initial batting slump and post a competitive 180 for 5.
Markram (66 off 45 balls) and Badoni (50 off 34 balls) stitched 76 runs for the fourth wicket to resurrect the LSG innings after they were reduced to 54 for 3 in the eighth over.
Captain Rishabh Pant’s decision to bat first after winning the toss looked like to be backfiring but Markram and Badoni rescued the visiting side with some solid batting.
Abdul Samad then played a cameo of 30 not out off just 10 balls down the order, hitting six fours from the final over bowled by Sandeep Sharma.
For the Royals, Wanindu Hasaranga (2/31) was the most successful bowler while Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande and Sandeep Sharma took one wicket apiece.
Archer conceded two fours to Markram in the first over but he came back to dismiss in-form opener Mitchell Marsh (4) in his second over with Shimron Hetmyer taking a fine catch after the batter edged the ball.
Markram was going strong at the other end but wickets fell around him with Sandeep getting rid of Nicholas Pooran (11), the leading run-scorer, leg-before after the batter committed far too early to a slower delivery.
LSG were 46 for 2 after powerplay and they were in a spot of bother in the eighth over with Pant falling cheaply for just three runs after his fine 63 against Chennai Super Kings. Before that, his highest score was 21.
Pant miscued a Hasaranga delivery that bounced a bit more than expected and wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel did the rest.
With Markram smashing two consecutive sixes in the 10th over, LSG were 76/3 at the half-way mark.
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