In the final match of the group stage for Mumbai Indians, some players bid goodbye while others took up from where they were. Lucknow Super Giants won with 18 points in a thrilling match at Wankhede Stadium, events took different directions unlike what could have been expected with the two teams. Some players took last night as the end of their journey with the club while others saw it as the start when Mumbai Indians completed its final league match. Lucknow Super Giants won by an 18-run advantage after a tight game in Wankhede Stadium which was pendulum-like.
KL Rahul’s Lucknow won the toss and opted to bat first. They began poorly by losing three wickets in less than ten overs. Nevertheless, when Nicholas Pooran came out to bat, it was like a miracle had happened – everything changed for good. Southpaw played 75 runs off 29 balls from only 20 overs. The triumph was studded with six boundaries and four maximums. His rapid inning steered Lucknow to 214 runs for the loss of six wickets.
In pursuit of a gigantic target, Mumbai Indians began impressively as they opened with a partnership of 88 runs between Rohit Sharma and Dewald Brevis. But once the partnership broke, wickets fell in clusters for Mumbai. Their IPL campaign ended on a disappointing note as they fell short by 18 runs, despite strong efforts from Suryakumar Yadav and Krunal Pandya in a score line that read 11-12. The game was both a show of power-hitting and precise bowling.
Pooran’s innings were the highlight of the evening, while young guns like Arshad Khan (MI) and Ravi Bishnoi (LSG) impressed with their bowling spells.
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This victory guarantees Lucknow’s spot in the play-offs and places Mumbai at the foot of the table for the season. The match is also significant because it represents the end of an era in which experienced members such as Rohit Sharma or Hardik Pandya have been struggling with bad performance.
The track to the post-season tournament is always dotted with high anticipations in Indian Premier League (IPL) when it reaches the business end. Lucknow team will be hoping to continue with their winning ways, while others will be figuring out how to dethrone Gujarat Titans, who are the current title holders.
