Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 31 : Following his side's 21-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match, Lucknow Super Giants bowling coach and former South African great Morne Morkel lauded young pacer Mayank Yadav for bowling with some "serious heat" and making life uncomfortable for the batters.
Debutant Mayank Yadav's magnificent four over spell restricted the Punjab Kings (PBKS) to 178/5 and helped his side Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to a victory by 21 runs at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Saturday. During his spell, Mayank often hit the 150 kmph mark, with one of his deliveries touching 155-156 kmph speed as well. He was chosen as the 'Player of the Match' for his game changing spell.
Following the game, Morkel said at the post-match presentation, "Happy with the win. Bowlers stuck to it. In the first timeout, I told the bowlers to stay in the game. Then young Mayank bowled serious heat and got the wickets. It was tough last year as he got injured after the first warm-up game. We are managing him better. He ran in, and that was a pleasing thing. He bowled 155 tonight and made life uncomfortable for batters. We asked the guys to do the basics well on a good wicket. I told him (Mayank) to stick to his lengths and use bouncers. Proud, he ran in and bowled quickly, despite the humidity. How the wicket would play was an unknown, we had to sum up the conditions and use them. We had five-six days after the first game, that could have worked against us too."
Mayank has played two first-class matches, 17 List-A games and 11 T20 matches. He represents Delhi at the domestic level, having made his List-A debut in 2021 and his first-class debut in 2022.
LSG elected to bat first after winning the toss. Quinton de Kock (54 in 38 balls, with five fours and two sixes), skipper Nicholas Pooran (42 in 21 balls, with three fours and three sixes) and Krunal Pandya (43* in 22 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) helped LSG reach 199/8 in 20 overs. There was a 47-run partnership between Kock and Pooran for the fourth wicket that helped LSG settle following some quick wickets.
Sam Curran (3/28) and Arshdeep Singh (3/30) were the pick of the bowlers for PBKS. Rahul Chahar and Kagiso Rabada took a wicket each.
In the run chase, skipper Shikhar Dhawan (70 in 50 balls, with seven fours and three sixes) and Jonny Bairstow (42 in 29 balls, with three fours and three sixes) kicked things off with a 102-run opening partnership. But Mayank's fiery spell derailed PBKS's efforts, reducing them to 141/4 in 16.2 overs. Liam Livingstone (28* in 17 balls, with two fours and two sixes) tried to fight out but PBKS was restricted to 178/5 in their 20 overs.
Mohsin Khan also picked up two wickets for 34 runs.
LSG is in fifth place in the points table with two points, having won one match and lost one. PBKS is in sixth place, with a win and two losses, giving them two points.
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