LUCKNOW, CMC – West Indies left-handed pair of Kyle Mayers and Nicholas Pooran failed to catch afire for Lucknow Super Giants, and Gujarat Titans got back to winning ways in the Indian Premier League yesterday, with a memorable seven-run win.
Mayers made 24, and Pooran got only one, and LSG failed in their effort to chase 136 to win
at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium thanks to the combined efforts of Noor Ahmad, Mohit Sharma, and Mohammed Shami.
LSG were moving smoothly in the chase when they reached 80 for the loss of only Mayers at the halfway mark, and they reached 100 in the 14th over, as their captain K.L. Rahul reached his 50. Krunal Pandya was stumped in the 15th over off Ahmad, and the panic levels appeared to increase for the home team when Pooran fell to the same bowler in the 17th over with 26 needed from 19 balls. With 12 needed off the final over, Sharma dismissed Rahul for the top score of 68 and Australia international Marcus Stoinis, and there were two run outs in a dramatic finish. Titans are now on eight points, like the three teams above them on the points table, and extended their unbeaten record against this opponent to 3-0. Earlier, Hardik Pandya injected momentum into the Titans innings with an attacking 68, and they posted 135 for six from their 20 overs.
