Hyderabad (Telangana)[India], May 13 : Aiden Markram's SRH failed to defend a competitive total of 183 against Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday.
SRH managed to put up a competitive score of 182/6 on the board, but it proved to be insufficient as Prerak Mankad (64)*, Marcus Stoinis (40) and Nicholas Pooran (44)* slammed the SRH bowlers to all corners in the final seven overs to secure a crucial victory for the LSG.
While SRH fell short in the end, they could have walked away with a win had they managed to reach the 200 run-mark.
"I thought it was a decent score, I thought 180 was par. We batted well, probably lacked one partnership that could have got us to the 200-run mark. The wicket got slower throughout the day, we would have taken this total at the start. Pressure is an interesting thing, and the guys tried their best."
"When you are put under pressure by high-quality players like Stoinis and Pooran, you are going to be tested. Once the righties came in, I don't think I was the man for the job. It's about the guys using the next three games as opportunities, they must make it count," SRH skipper Aiden Markram said after the match.
SRH had full control over the game but Stoinis, Pooran and Mankad subdued their opponents with their sublime batting skills.
With LSG needing 108 off 48 balls and the required run rate climbing above 13, Mankad and Stoinis stepped up the scoring rate, taking 14 of a Farooqi over and then Mankad smacked a six and a four of Markande to make it 28 of two overs.
Stoinis continued to deal in sixes, smacking three more, including two of left-armer Abhishek Sharma.
However, the SRH all-rounder bounced back to have him caught at long off for 40(25).
Pooran arrived at the crease next and took off with three sixes in a row to finish a roller-coaster over, as the LSG scored 31 runs in the over, bringing the equation down to 38 off 24 balls.
T Natarajan started the 17th over well, giving away just four of the first four balls but Mankad finished it with a six and a four to bring the equation down to 24 of 18 balls.
In the next over, Pooran cracked back-to-back fours off Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who had conceded just two runs off the first four balls of the over.
With 14 needed off 12, Natarajan started the 48th over well, giving away just three singles off the first four balls.
However, Pooran thumped a muscular pull over deep mid-wicket for a six to make it a 10-run over.
With four needed off the final over, Pooran heaved the first ball to deep mid-wicket off Farooqi, with Phillips putting in a brilliant dive and saving 2 runs for his team.
With two needed off the last ball, Pooran flicked the next one wide of short fine leg for a four for another pulsating last-over finish in the tournament.
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