LUCKNOW Super Giants defeated Mumbai Indians by 12 runs on Friday, with Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram scoring half-centuries and the bowlers holding off a late charge in the IPL match.
Mumbai were without former captain Rohit Sharma, who missed the game due to a knee injury sustained during training.
Mumbai captain Hardik Pandya picked up his first T20 five-wicket haul and scored an unbeaten 28 off 16 balls, but the side slipped to its third loss in four matches.
Invited to bat first at home, Lucknow posted 203-8 after Marsh hit 60 and Markram made 53, sharing a 76-run stand for the opening wicket.
Mumbai were restricted to 191-5 in reply despite Suryakumar Yadav’s 67 off 43 balls and a late effort from Pandya. Lucknow secured their second win in four matches.
“When a player like Mitch Marsh gives us a start like that, it gives time to the middle-order,” said Lucknow captain Rishabh Pant.
Pant added, “Mentally it was tough for all of us, they were not losing too many wickets, kudos to them, but we held our nerve and finished it off.”
Mumbai needed 29 runs from the last two overs. Shardul Thakur gave away just seven runs in the 19th over, and Avesh Khan closed it out despite being hit for a six on the first ball of the final over.
Tilak Varma, who came in as an impact substitute, scored 25 off 23 balls before retiring out in the second-last over.
Rathi contributes with key spell
Spinner Digvesh Rathi took 1-21 and dismissed Naman Dhir on 46. He was named player of the match.
Marsh hit nine fours and two sixes in his 31-ball knock to set the tone. He was eventually dismissed, caught and bowled by left-arm wrist spinner Vignesh Puthur.
This was Marsh’s third half-century of the season. He is playing only as a batsman in this edition.
Nicholas Pooran was out for 12 as Pandya claimed his first wicket, followed by Pant, who fell for two. Pant, who was bought for $3.21 million in the IPL auction, has scored 0, 15, and 2 in his previous games.
Markram added 51 with Ayush Badoni, who made 30. Later, David Miller contributed 27 off 14 balls.
Pandya dismissed Markram and ended with figures of 5-36, becoming the first IPL captain to take a five-wicket haul.
“Always enjoyed my bowling,” Pandya said. “I don’t have many options but I read the wicket and use smarter options. I never go for wickets but try to make batters make mistakes.”
“Today was one of those days. As a batting unit, we fell short. We win as a team, we lose as a team. I take full ownership.”
Pandya took two wickets in the final over. A hat-trick was prevented due to a wide ball.
(With inputs from agencies)
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