LSG VS PBKS MATCH 11

Right then, that is it from this game and after we saw Bengaluru become the first team to lose a home match this season, it seems like the trend of the home team winning the match is back. Next up is a doubleheader Sunday with two electrifying matches lined up. First up, Gujarat take on Hyderabad in Ahmedabad and that game will begin at 3.30 pm IST (10 am GMT). This will be followed by a clash between Delhi and Chennai in Visakhapatnam starting at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT). You can join us a lot sooner for the build-up of both those games. Till then, take care and goodbye!

Mayank Yadav is the Player of the Match on his Indian T20 League debut for his fine bowling effort. He starts by saying that he never expected the debut would go so well and after he bowled that first ball, all the nervousness went away. Adds that the plan was not to get under pressure and just bowl quick and he had planned about mixing up the slower ones as well but with the help in the wicket, he stuck to bowling quick. Mentions that out of the three wickets, the maiden wicket is his favorite.

Nicholas Pooran, the skipper of Lucknow says that it was a wonderful start at home and they needed this win. Adds that he felt the total was a good one and with one side of the boundary being short it would always get challenging. Mentions the bowlers got the wickets at the right time and credits Mayank Yadav who is a young talent and everybody is happy for the way he performed. Concludes that they have a young bowling attack and an experienced coaching staff and this is a big exposure for the guys.

The Presentation ceremony...

Morne Morkel, the bowling coach of Lucknow is down for a chat. He says that he is very happy with the win and to get first points on the board is amazing. He then credits the bowlers to come back the way they did and applauds Mayank Yadav as he bowled with real heat and is great to see him up and running after missing the last season due to an injury. Adds that Mayank ran in and that's the basics they try to teach the guys and he kept hitting that hard length as well and used the longer boundary too. Adds that the game plan was to do the basics correctly and use those bigger pockets on one side to their own advantage. Jokes a bit about commentary being a slightly easier stint than being a bowling coach.

Shikhar Dhawan, the skipper of Punjab says that they played well and the injury of Liam Livingstone impacted their chase as he couldn't come at number 4. Appreciates Mayank Yadav for the way he bowled with pace and mentions his variations that surprised the batters. Adds that they had planned to use the shorter side of the boundary and make use of the pace but the Lucknow bowlers didn't let the pressure get off them and kept it all tight. Concludes that they will analyze and work on the dropped chances which changes the momentum of the game and will look to implement the plans better going ahead.

Earlier in the game, the stand-in captain for Lucknow, Nicholas Pooran won the toss and opted to bat first with regular skipper KL Rahul opening the batting but not captaining. The pitch looked good and Quinton de Kock got off to a flier before Punjab came back in and picked up a few wickets. Then came the stand between de Kock and Nicholas Pooran that turned on the heat before Punjab yet again managed to pick up a couple of wickets and just level the playing field. However, a stunning cameo of 43 from 22 balls from Krunal Pandya proved to be decisive as that propelled Lucknow to 199 runs. Sam Curran picked up 3 wickets for Punjab but the likes of Rahul Chahar and Harshal Patel went for plenty. In reply, Punjab threw away a stellar start and Lucknow managed to creep back in the second half of the chase before cruising to victory.

Punjab will be kicking themselves as for the second game in a row, they have thrown away the game after having put themselves in a position of power. Chasing a big target, Punjab got the perfect start as both Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow were able to take on the opposition bowlers with minimal risks and kept in touch with the asking rate. Maybe, they could have gone a bit harder and got their side ahead of the asking rate but once Bairstow fell, everything fell apart and one after another, the wicket kept tumbling. Dhawan tried to hold one end but he too got out on 70 and an ailing Liam Livingstone was handed the responsibility of trying to go big in the late overs but it was just too much to ask and Punjab have now lost two on the bounce.

That was some top ball striking from an injured Liam Livingstone right at the death but Lucknow get the win, the first in their opening home game and their first of this campaign as well. They had the runs on the board and a stellar bowling display in the second half of the chase has seen them win the match pretty comfortably in the end. With 199 runs on the board, all Lucknow needed was early wickets but that didn't happen as they conceded 61 runs in the Powerplay and remained wicketless in the first 10 overs. However, debutant Mayank Yadav was entrusted with a second over after a half-decent first over and he broke the vital opening stand. After this, Yadav went on to bowl four overs on the bounce and picked up three wickets as well. Mohsin Khan too got into the act and picked up a couple of quickfire wickets to put Lucknow firmly in command. From thereon it was all about game management and they were able to get over the line without much of a fuss.

That's it! A big 21-run victory for Lucknow and they register their first win in this season's Indian T20 League! Naveen-ul-Haq bowls it fuller and outside off, Shashank Singh cuts it to deep point for a single.

Slower again, on a shorter length, outside off, Liam Livingstone pulls it off the lower half of the bat towards deep mid-wicket for just a single. Liam Livingstone is struggling and this could be a big concern for Punjab.

Hurls this on a length, just around off and takes pace off the ball as well, Liam Livingstone looks to heave it across the line but misses.

SIX! Liam Livingstone turning on the heat a bit too late! Slower bouncer, on off, Liam Livingstone stands tall and slaps it over the bowler's head for a maximum.

FOUR! Flat and races away! Fuller delivery outside off, Liam Livingstone takes a step closer and slashes it over cover for one bounce boundary.

SIX! That will help the cause but won't matter much it seems. A length delivery angling into the stumps, from off, Liam Livingstone plants his front leg ahead and tonks it over mid-wicket for a biggie.

WIDE! Looks for the bouncer but drops it a bit too short over middle and off, Liam Livingstone looks for the pull but the ball climbs on him as the umpire calls it a wide.

Wow, the first delivery of the final over has been smashed into the spider cam by Liam Livingstone and that seemed to be heading for a maximum but it will be called a dea ball, very unlucky for Liam.