LSG vs GT: Who won yesterday's match in IPL 2023?

Gujarat Titans (GT) beat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by seven runs in yesterday’s (April 22) Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 match at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.

In a stunning turnaround, LSG needed only 30 runs off the last five overs in a chase of 136, with eight wickets in hand. However, they choked in an inexplicable fashion and finished only 128/7.

Nicholas Pooran (one off seven) struggled to get going and toe-ended a slog-sweep off Noor Ahmad in the 17th over. Mohit Sharma bowled an excellent 18th over, conceding only six. Mohammed Shami backed it up by giving away just five runs in an exceptional penultimate over.

The equation came down to 12 off the last over. LSG skipper KL Rahul was still at the crease but had completely lost his batting rhythm. He fell off the second delivery for 68 off 61, miscuing a short ball from Mohit to deep square leg. It marked the end of a bizarre knock. Rahul had reached his half-century off 38 balls, but could not get going after that.

Rahul’s dismissal was followed by a golden duck for Marcus Stoinis as he mistimed a slower short ball from Mohit to long-on. Ayush Badoni (eight) and Deepak Hooda (two) were run out off the next two deliveries as GT pulled off an incredible come-from-behind win.

Earlier, Rahul and Kyle Mayers (24 off 19) added 55 for the opening wicket in 6.3 overs. The stand was broken when Rashid Khan cleaned up the latter. Rahul and Krunal Pandya (23 off 23) then added 51 for the second wicket.

When Krunal was stumped off Noor Ahmad, LSG were still in command at 106/2. What happened after that can only be described as a nightmare for Rahul and Co.

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Hardik Pandya leads from the front with the bat

GT skipper Hardik Pandya top-scored with 66 off 50 to guide his side to 135/6 after they won the toss and batted first. Gujarat lost Shubman Gill for a duck as he chipped Krunal to long-off. Wriddhiman Saha (47 off 37) and Hardik, however, assessed the batting conditions smartly, adding 68 for the second wicket at a decent pace.

The stand was broken when Saha was caught at long-on off Krunal’s bowling. Abhinav Manohar (three) and Vijay Shankar (10) failed to make significant contributions. However, Hardik struck Ravi Bishnoi for a four and two sixes off consecutive deliveries in the 18th over to give GT's innings some much-needed momentum.

He perished to Stoinis in the last over, but not before clubbing him for a flat six over midwicket.

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LSG vs GT: Who Won Player of the Match in yesterday's IPL 2023 match?

Hardik top-scored for GT, hitting two fours and four sixes in his 66. He also took a good catch of Pooran under pressure. Saha contributed an invaluable 47. With the ball, Mohit (2/17) was superb once again. He bowled a sensational last over, dismissing Rahul and Stoinis. Ahmad also impressed with 2/18.

For LSG, Stoins and Krunal claimed two wickets each. The latter also contributed 23 with the bat. Rahul scored a half-century, although it wasn’t a fluent one.

Mohit was named Player of the Match for his heroics with the ball.