Mitchell Marsh century powers Lucknow to thrilling victory

Mitchell Marsh struck a sensational 111 off just 56 deliveries to help Lucknow Super Giants end their six-match losing streak with a nine-run victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru. In a rain-affected encounter at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, the match was reduced to 19 overs per side. Lucknow posted a formidable 209/3 before restricting Bengaluru to 203/6 in a high-octane chase.

Marsh Dominates Ekana

Opening the batting with Arshin Kulkarni, the Australian all-rounder found his rhythm early, clearing the ropes nine times. His hundred came off only 49 balls, marking the second century of his career in this tournament. Supporting cameos from Nicholas Pooran and skipper Rishabh Pant, who smashed an unbeaten 32 off 10 balls, ensured the home side crossed the 200-run mark. While the Ekana surface historically aids spinners, the red-soil pitch used for this fixture offered true bounce that Marsh exploited brilliantly.

Prince Yadav Rattles Bengaluru

Bengaluru’s pursuit of a revised DLS target of 213 began poorly when Prince Yadav produced a delivery that clean-bowled Virat Kohli for a duck. Despite the early setback, Rajat Patidar kept the visitors in contention with a blistering 61 off 31 balls, including six sixes. Tim David also contributed a quick-fire 40, but the Lucknow bowlers maintained their composure during the final stages.

Final over Drama

Digvesh Rathi was tasked with defending 20 runs in the final over against Krunal Pandya and Romario Shepherd. He conceded only 10 runs, sealing a vital win for the hosts. This victory is particularly significant for the Lucknow franchise as they fight to remain mathematically relevant in the playoff race, while Bengaluru missed a golden opportunity to climb to the top of the standings.

​​​​​​​

With Inputs from Agency Threads and Image Courtesy: ANI