IPL: Lucknow Super Giants' hat-trick high

PTI

Navi Mumbai, April 7

Quinton de Kock showed imperious form in his 80 off 52 balls as Lucknow Super Giants outplayed Delhi Capitals by six wickets for their third successive win in their debut IPL season here today.

Delhi Capitals lost their way after a sizzling knock from opener Prithvi Shaw (61 off 31) to end at 149/3 after Lucknow decided to field first.

With the resources that Lucknow possess, 150 should have been a comfortable chase and the KL Rahul-led side made sure it was, getting home with two balls to spare on a tricky surface.

De Kock was at his destructive best as he shared a 73-run stand with opening partner Rahul (24 off 25). After Rahul’s fall, his team needed 76 off the last 10 overs. De Kock, who hit nine fours and two sixes, put the team on the cusp of victory with his second 50-plus score of the tournament.

Earlier, Shaw’s knock was all class before Lucknow bounced back in the game with an impressive bowling performance. Young leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi (2/22) was the standout performer.

David Warner (4 off 12), returning to the franchise where he made his IPL debut back in 2009, struggled in his first innings of the season. Brief scores: Delhi Capitals: 149/3 (Shaw 61, Pant 39*, Khan 36*; Bishnoi 2/22); Lucknow Super Giants: 155/4 in 19.4 overs (de Kock 80; Kuldeep 2/31). — PTI

Brains vs brawn

Mumbai: Gujarat Titans’ lethal pace attack is all set to ask some probing questions of the dynamic Punjab Kings top-order when the two teams lock horns in an IPL match tomorrow. In terms of composition and balance, both Gujarat and Punjab are very different and that makes for an enticing contest. In their three games, Punjab have shown that the approach this year would be to go hammer and tongs during the Powerplay overs and set the tempo for the rest of the innings. It will be a battle between Punjab’s costliest buy (apart from skipper Mayank Agarwal’s retention) Liam Livingstone and New Zealand’s speed merchant Lockie Ferguson.

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