Lucknow Super Giants’ downward spiral continued with a fourth consecutive loss, this time a 40-run defeat to Rajasthan Royals on April 22. With just two wins in seven matches, LSG slipped to ninth in the standings, while Rajasthan surged to second place. On a typically slow surface at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Rajasthan’s balanced effort with bat and ball proved far too strong for a struggling Lucknow unit.
Rajasthan recover from early stumbles to post competitive total
Batting first, Rajasthan Royals managed 159 for 6, an above-par score on a low-scoring pitch. Early setbacks saw Vaibhav Suryavanshi (8), Yashasvi Jaiswal (22), and Dhruv Jurel (0) fall cheaply.
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Captain Riyan Parag steadied things briefly, but it was Ravindra Jadeja who anchored the innings with a fluent 43 off 29 balls. Supported first by Donovan Ferreira and later by Shubham Dubey’s crucial 49, Rajasthan rebuilt effectively to reach a defendable total. For LSG, Mohsin Khan impressed with 2 for 17, while Mohammed Shami and Prince Yadav picked up two wickets each.
Lucknow batting collapse hands Rajasthan a comfortable win
Chasing 160, Lucknow Super Giants never found momentum and were bowled out for 119 in 18 overs. Mitchell Marsh fought alone with a 55-run knock, while Nicholas Pooran (22) and Himmat Singh (15) offered limited support. The rest of the lineup faltered, including Rishabh Pant, who was dismissed for a duck.
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Rajasthan’s bowlers executed their plans perfectly, led by Jofra Archer’s three-wicket haul, while Nandre Burger and Brijesh Sharma took two wickets each, sealing a dominant victory.