WHAT-A-GAME, with so many momentum shifts throughout the last 20 overs, Lucknow Super Giants sealed the game by the narrowest margin, 2 runs, as they booked a place in playoffs by registering a win over Kolkata Knight Riders at DY Patil Stadium on Wednesday night.
Kolkata's majestic run-chase was a classic example of a T20 contest given they lost both the openers early. But Shreyas Iyer stitched a counter-attacking 50-run stand with Nitish Rana first. Then another fifty-run stand with Sam Billings in 24 balls kept Kolkata the mammoth chase on track. Kolkata lost momentum in the death overs. However, Rinku Singh and Sunil Narine kept KKR in the hunt with some big blows. With 21 needed off the last over, Rinku tonked a four, and two back-to-back sixes off the first three balls before a one-handed stunner from Evin Lewis ended the southpaw innings. Stoinis cleaned up Umesh Yadav off the last delivery thus winning the game for Lucknow.
Also read; IPL 2022, LSG vs KKR: Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul register THIS MASSIVE RECORD as openers
Earlier, Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul sent Kolkata bowlers for a leather hunt after the powerplay. Such was the assault from de Kock and Rahul that KKR bowlers failed to take even a single wicket. de Kock slammed the highest individual score of the season, an unbeaten 140 off 70 balls, while skipper KL Rahul hit 68 not out off 51 as the opening duo shared the highest ever partnership in IPL history.