Two crucial points will be up for grabs when Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) take on the Mumbai Indians (MI) in Match 63 of the ongoing IPL 2023 season. The much-awaited fixture will be played at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday, May 16.
MI and LSG are placed third and fourth, respectively, on the points table. The clash between the two teams is of utmost significance as they are both in the hunt for playoffs qualification.
Lucknow, who have 13 points after 12 games, ended their three-match winless streak when they defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their previous game away from home.
After opting to bat first in a day game, Hyderabad posted 182/6 on the board in their stipulated 20 overs. While it was a decent first-innings total, none of their batters converted their starts, with Heinrich Klassen top-scoring with a 29-ball 47.
Krunal Pandya was clinical with the ball, returning with the figures of 2/24. Yudhvir Singh, Amit Mishra, Yash Thakur and Avesh Khan took one wicket apiece.
The SRH bowlers kept things tight in the first half of the run chase. While Quinton de Kock lost his wicket after a good start, LSG could only make 75 in their first 12 overs.
Prerak Mankad, who was playing only his third-ever IPL game, kept his cool and batted throughout, scoring a vital 64* in the process. Marcus Stoinis put the impetus in the innings with his 25-ball 40 before Nicholas Pooran went berserk right from ball one.
The Caribbean hard-hitter struck three back-to-back sixes on his way to a match-winning 44* off 13 balls. The visitors won the game by seven wickets and four balls to spare.
MI's scorecard from their last IPL 2023 game
Mumbai Indians will also enter tonight's game on the back of a clinical win over the Gujarat Titans (GT) in their last outing.
It seemed like the match was between Rashid Khan and the Mumbai Indians as none of the other players from the Gujarat camp could impress much.
After asking MI to bat first at the Wankhede Stadium, GT bowlers leaked 218/5 in the first innings. Ishan Kishan and Vishnu Vinod scored 31 and 30 respectively, while Suryakumar Yadav hit his maiden IPL century, smashing an unbeaten 103 off just 49 balls.
Suryakumar was truly outstanding on the day and clobbered 11 fours and six maximums to take MI to a gigantic first-innings score.
In their defense of 219, Mumbai bowlers wreaked havoc right from the start. They took the first five wickets inside eight overs and reduced the visitors to 103/8 after 13.2 overs.
However, Rashid Khan didn't give up and smoked three fours and ten sixes to bring up his career-best 32-ball 79*. His unbelievable knock reduced the winning margin as MI registered their seventh victory of the season by 27 runs.
Akash Madhwal, who was substituted in for the second innings, was the pick of the bowlers for MI and took 3/31. Piyush Chawla and Kumar Kartikeya also took two wickets each.
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