Lucknow Super Giants have kick-started not only Indian Premier League 2023 but also their journey on home ground Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on a winning note. A comprehensive performance saw them defeating Delhi Capitals by 50 runs in the third match of the ongoing 16th season of the biggest T20 league in the world.
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Asked to bat first, Lucknow thrived on all-rounder Kyle Mayers scoring 73 (38) with the help of two fours and seven sixes at a strike rate of 192.10 on IPL debut. Wicket-keeper batter Nicholas Pooran (36), batter Ayush Badoni (18) and Impact Player Krishnappa Gowtham (6*) combined to score 36 runs in the last two overs to power the team to 193/6.
Although a 194-run target was always going to be a tough ask for the visitors but one had expected DC to bat better than scoring 143/9 in their allotted quota of 20 overs. Notwithstanding captain David Warner (56) scoring a 94th T20 half-century, his individual performance coming at an strike rate of 116.66 was pretty dismal, to say the least.
LSG vs DC Man of the Match Today’s Match
Adding to his one-match IPL career, England and LSG fast bowler Mark Wood bowled with breathtaking pace upon his return to this tournament after half-a-decade.
Picking the first three wickets of the innings in the form of Prithvi Shaw (12), Mitchell Marsh (0) and Sarfaraz Khan (4), Wood demonstrated sublime rhythm as each of the three batters were undone by pace. While Shaw and Marsh were bowled on consecutive deliveries, Sarfaraz Khan ended up ramping Wood straight into the hands of Gowtham (6* & 0/23) at fine leg.
LSG💙 pic.twitter.com/oOu930SNA2
— K L Rahul (@klrahul) April 1, 2023
It was in the last over of the match that Wood dismissed Capitals vice-captain Axar Patel (16) and pacer Chetan Sakariya (4) to register a maiden T20 five-wicket haul and career-best bowling figures of 4-0-14-5. As a result, the 33-year old player ended up winning the Player of the Match award in his first match for this franchise.
“Last time I played for CSK [in 2018] but it didn’t go quite well. But I wanted to make an impact in his game. I am pleased with my rhythm as I managed to take wickets. We have trained here, so we knew dew was going to be a factor,” Wood told host broadcaster Star Sports Network during the post-match presentation ceremony.
