Mumbai secures a spot in Qualifier 2,
Mumbai Indians (MI) defeated Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 81 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Eliminator held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. This victory secured MI’s spot in Qualifier 2 against Gujarat Titans (GT) on the same day. Opting to bat first, MI posted a total of 182/8 with notable contributions from Cameron Green (41 off 23), Suryakumar Yadav (33 off 20), and a quick cameo by Nehal Wadhera (23 off 12) towards the end.
In response, LSG had a decent start and seemed capable of mounting a strong challenge. However, Akash Madhwal’s exceptional bowling performance, which equaled the legendary Anil Kumble’s IPL record of 5/5, along with three run-outs, completely changed the course of the game. LSG was eventually bowled out for 101, resulting in a resounding victory for Mumbai. The best-ever IPL bowling figures are held by Alzarri Joseph, who took 6 wickets for 12 runs while representing Mumbai Indians in 2019.
Around the 8-over mark, LSG found themselves at 69/2 and appeared to be on track for a competitive chase. However, the dismissal of Krunal Pandya proved to be a turning point in their fortunes. Marcus Stoinis was the highest scorer for Lucknow but fell victim to a run-out on a night when Mumbai Indians enjoyed considerable success. This marks the second consecutive year that LSG has been eliminated at this stage, suffering a similar fate in the previous season.
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— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 24, 2023
Lucknow Super Giants’ journey in the season came to an end with their defeat, while Mumbai Indians secured a convincing win, boosting their confidence as they move forward to Ahmedabad. Their next challenge in Qualifier 2 will be against Gujarat Titans. Qualifier 1 witnessed Chennai Super Kings emerging victorious against GT, securing their spot in the final match.
Akash Madhwal shone brightly in the match, delivering a remarkable performance by claiming the joint-best figures by an Indian in IPL history. He achieved an impressive 5 wickets for just 5 runs in his 3.3 overs. Despite his exceptional display, Lucknow Super Giants suffered from self-inflicted setbacks as they kept falling victim to absurd run-outs.
One instance was a collision that dismissed their top batsman, Marcus Stoinis, who scored a solid 40 off 27 deliveries. Another run-out occurred when two players found themselves at the same end, further adding to the Super Giants’ misfortunes.
Mumbai’s boundary bash:
Mumbai Indians displayed their astute cricketing acumen by paying attention to the gameβs finer details. They quickly noticed that the opposition had chosen to open the bowling with spinners, capitalizing on the rule that only allows two fielders outside the 30-yard circle. Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan cleverly exploited this advantage by placing the ball into the gaps behind the point and past fine leg, resulting in four boundaries in the first three overs.
Despite the challenging conditions designed to limit the power hitters in the IPL, Mumbai Indians skillfully maneuvered their way to a comfortable score of 98 for 2 at the 10-over mark, making it the third-highest score in Chennai this year. Throughout this period, they struck a total of 15 boundaries, showcasing their ability to find the gaps and accumulate runs effectively.
Cameron Green and Suryakumar Yadav cleared the boundary and displayed their ability to hit the ball into the second tier with remarkable power. This season, a few teams have experimented with having three openers in their lineup, utilizing them when an early wicket falls and keeping them in the dugout when it doesn’t. Mumbai Indians are one such team, and this strategy proved effective in maintaining a strong scoring rate.
They were well on track to surpass the 200-run mark. However, it was Naveen-ul-Haq who made a significant impact when he came on to bowl. Recognizing the need to take the pace off the ball at the Chepauk Stadium, even the fast bowlers adjusted their approach. Despite being hit for a six off the first ball of the 11th over, Naveen skillfully executed a leg-cutter to dismiss Suryakumar Yadav, who was caught on the straight boundary.
Just two balls later, he bowled Cameron Green through the gate with an off-cutter that gripped the pitch. Naveen, the talented fast bowler from Afghanistan, celebrated each of his four wickets by putting his fingers in his ears, possibly in response to the criticism he had faced on social media following his altercation with Virat Kohli earlier in the tournament. Mumbai Indians will face Gujrat Titans in their second qualifier which will decide the ultimate team going into the final to face Chennai Super Kings.