Is it just bad luck or a negative mindset that Mumbai Indians keep losing to Lucknow Super Giants over the years? Even the top analyst will have a mind wobble to answer that question.
Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram displayed the role that opening batters must execute in all forms of cricket by building a partnership so that the rest of the batting cordon helps to achieve the target in mind in building or chasing.
Marsh and Markram did just that as they got Lucknow Super Giants off the blocks to a great opening stand of 76 in 6.4 overs with Marsh being the aggressor and Markram having a mindset of batting deep into the innings.
Mitchell Marsh stroked 9 boundaries and 2 big sixes in his 31 ball 60, whilst Aiden Markram held the innings together by staying at the wickets till 17.5 overs whilst maintaining his strike rate and scoring 53 off 38 deliveries, basically holding the innings together for the likes of Nicholas Poram , Rishab Pant, Ayush Badoni and David Miller to showcase their skill levels with less pressure.
Poram missed out and made just 12 runs whilst Captain Rishab Pant is having an ordinary time with his bat in IPL 2025 out for 2 runs, but Ayush Badoni and David Miller went about their business without let or hindrance with the former stroking 30 the latter 27 to help the home team get past the 200 run mark and record a score of 203 for 8 wickets thus setting the Mahela Jayawardena coached Mumbai Indians a target of 204 which was well within Maharashtra boys reach.
Skipper Hardik Pandya went back into the hutch with smiles as he got his first five for in the IPL with impressive bowling figures of 5 for 30. Sadly, Trent Boult was off colour yesterday, just 1 scalp for 28 in 3 overs, Ashwani Kumar 1 for 39, and Vignesh Puthur 1 for 31 as they accounted for the 8 LSG scalps.
Rohit Sharma dropped for this game, and it was no surprise he is going through a bad patch. Hence, Will Jack’s replaced the former Indian captain with Ryan Rickleton to open the batting after his excellent 62 in his last outing against Kolkota Night Riders.
The plan did not bear fruit. Will Jacks out for 5 and Ryan Rickleton for 10 . The openers back in the hutch without much contribution add extra pressure on the batters to follow. However, Naman Dir 46 and Suriyakumar Yadav 67 off 43 deliveries took Mumbai Indians within striking zone until Suriyakumar Yadav got over ambitious when he swept a Avish Khan delivery from outside his off stump to deep fine leg and be caught off his improvised execution with the score on 152 in the 16th over which gave a glimmer of hope to Lucknow Super Giants to maintain their winning streak against the Mumbai Indians.
Hardick Pandya at the wickets with Thilak Varma gave plenty of hopes with 52 runs required in the death overs. Varma was off colour with a poor striking rate and was forced to retire and let Mitch Santner join his captain Hardick Pandya to execute the finishing touches.
The penultimate over bowled by Shadul Thakur and the 20th by Avish Khan was excellent. Mumbai Indians fell short by 12 runs with Hardick Pandya unbeaten on 28 and Thilak Varma retired for 25 , looked a gloomy picture for the Mumbai Indians who slide down to slot 7 in the points table whilst Lucknow Super Giants go up the ladder to slot 6.
Both teams still maintain a plus run rate, but at the end of the day, the Nita Ambani owned Mumbai Indians now record 6 defeats out of 7 against LSG in the recorder’s book.
Today, it’s the double header. Chennai Super Kings plays Delhi Capitals. Rajasthan Royals placed at number 9 in the points table plays Punjab Kings the table leaders. Will the Sri Lankan spin twins Wanindu Hasaranga and Mahees Theekshana of Rajasthan Royals upset the PBKS apple cart ? Don’t be surprised if they do.
