"Brainless from Lucknow" - Venkatesh Prasad slams LSG after their seven-run loss to Gujarat Titans

Former Indian paceman Venkatesh Prasad has come down hard on the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after losing to the Gujarat Titans from a strong position at Ekan Stadium on Saturday in IPL 2023. The 53-year-old underlined that such defeats require some baffling batting.

Chasing 136, the Super Giants were well on track to a comfortable victory, led by KL Rahul's fifty. At 106-2, not many imagined them to lose the contest. However, it came down to 12 off the final over and the Super Giants lost four wickets.

Taking to his official Twitter handle, the former Indian cricketer remarked that it was brainless cricket from the Super Giants and cricketing brilliance from the Titans.

"Bottling a run-chase when 30 needed off 35 balls with nine wickets in India requires some baffling batting. Happened with Punjab in 2020 on few occasions losing games they should have won easily. As brilliant as Gujarat were with the ball & Hardik smart with his captaincy, brainless from Lucknow."

Mohit Sharma, who bowled the final over, knocked off Rahul for 68 in the second ball, followed by Marcus Stoinis on the very next delivery. Ayush Badoni and Deepak Hooda were the two others to fall via run-out.

Venkatesh Prasad had already taken aim at Rahul during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022-23 as the opener underwent a horror series.

---

Hardik Pandya's half-century guides Titans to a match-winning total

Hardik Pandya. (Image Credits: Twitter)

After winning the toss and batting first on a tricky wicket, Hardik Pandya held the innings together amid their side's constant loss of wickets. Skipper and Wriddhiman Saha were the only Titans batters to go past 30.

Pandya, who struck 66 off 50 balls, laced with four maximums and two fours to help the Titans post 135 on the board. Marcus Stoinis and Krunal Pandya took two scalps each, while Naveen-ul-Haq bagged figures of 4-0-19-1. Despite the loss, the Super Giants have retained their second spot in the points table.