LUCKNOW (Uttar Pradesh) : Marcus Stonis’ 89 (47)* powered Lucknow Super Giants to 177/3 in 20 overs against Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) match here.
MI started the game on a strong note as Jason Behrendorff provided the visitors with an ideal start by picking up two wickets in two balls in the third over. He dismissed the out-of-form batter Deepak Hooda on 5(7). Prerak Mankad became his second victim as the young batter tried to place the ball in the offside region but there was a faint outside edge.
Mankad walked back towards the dugout with a golden duck in his account with the catch taken by Ishan Kishan.
LSG ended the powerplay without losing any further wickets at 35/2.
MI bounced back as Piyush Chawla came back into the attack and dismissed left-handed batter Quinton de Kock on 16(15). From that moment Marcus Stoinis and Krunal Pandya built a partnership slowly taking the game into the final overs. As the unbeaten partnership reached the 82-run mark, LSG skipper Krunal Pandya went out following an injury.
This brought the end to LSG’s highest partnership in the IPL this season and Nicholas Pooran came. Pandya scored 49(42).
Stoinis took up the role of a finisher to accelerate the pace of the innings. Chris Jordan took the ball in his hands to bowl the 18th over. Stoinis took his chance against Jordan and struck two sixes and three fours to score 24 runs in a single over. He kept up the momentum and struck two consecutive sixes to get 15 runs in the 19th over.
Stoinis didn’t take his foot off the accelerator as he sent the ball flying into the stands on the final ball of the innings to take LSG’s score to 177/3 in 20 overs.
Brief Scores: Lucknow Super Giants 177/3 (Marcus Stoinis 89(47)*, Krunal Pandya 49(42) and Jason Behrendorff 2/30) vs Mumbai Indians. (ANI)