Twenty-one-year-old pacer Mayank Yadav's sensational debut spell rattled Punjab Kings' batting order, derailing their chase and helping Lucknow Super Giants script a convincing 21-run victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Saturday.
Playing his first IPL match, Yadav (3-24) hurried the established Punjab batters with searing deliveries consistently exceeding 150 kph. His pace turned the tide after Punjab cruised to 102 for 0 in the 12th over, eventually restricting them to 178 all out in their 20 overs at the Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium.
Lucknow, who suffered a loss in their season opener against Rajasthan Royals, showcased a much-improved performance on a relaid Lucknow pitch offering more bounce. Opener Quinton de Kock (50) provided a quickfire start after stand-in captain Nicholas Pooran elected to bat. Pooran (42 off 21) himself chipped in with a whirlwind knock before Krunal Pandya (43 off 24) added late flourish to propel Lucknow to a competitive 199.
Shikhar Dhawan (70 off 50) threatened a fightback with his 51st IPL fifty, while Jonny Bairstow (42 off 29) looked dangerous early on. However, their momentum was halted by Yadav's fiery spell, which included the crucial wickets of Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, and Jitesh Sharma.
The victory was particularly significant for Lucknow as they made bold decisions. Regular captain KL Rahul batted only as an Impact Player, while Nicholas Pooran donned the captain's armband. The team also handed debuts to left-arm spinner M Siddharth and pace sensation Yadav.
Dhawan and Bairstow provided a promising opening partnership, but the rest of the Punjab batting lineup faltered under Yadav's pressure. Liam Livingstone, who suffered a hamstring scare while fielding, managed an unbeaten 28 off 17 balls, but Punjab fell short of the target.
