Fiery debutant Mayank Yadav impresses as Super Giants beat Punjab Kings

The Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 is a platform where talent meets opportunity and the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) unearthed a new youngster with great potential on the big stage during their victory against Punjab Kings at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium.

Playing his first match in the Tata IPL, Mayank Yadav bowled with pace like fire to inspire his team’s 21-run victory on a batting friendly surface.

Chasing 200, PBKS got off to a great start courtesy of their openers Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow. Both batters were proactive in the Powerplay, scoring at over 10 runs an over.

Dhawan got to his half-century in the eighth over when he slog-swept Ravi Bishnoi for a massive six. PBKS moved past 100 in the 11th over and looked set to change gears and race towards the total.

LSG pulled things back with the introduction of debutant Mayank. In his very first over, he surprised the batters with his pace, even clocking over 150 kmph a few times.

He bagged the wicket of Bairstow in his second over as the right-hander tried to clear the leg-side but couldn’t time the ball well enough. Prabhsimran Singh came in as an Impact Player and made an immediate impact with two sixes, one over long-on off Ravi Bishnoi and the other hit over third-man off Mayank, where Mohsin Khan took the catch but crossed the ropes.

Mayank then dismissed Prabhsimran when he tried to smash one over mid-on, but only got the elevation. Dhawan stayed at one end as wickets fell at the other. Jitesh Sharma started off well by hitting a boundary through mid-off with Mohsin bowling. However, Mayank struck again when Jitesh tried to pull but top-edged it, with Naveen-ul-Haq taking a catch at mid-wicket.

By the time Mayank finished his spell of 3-27, PBKS needed 60 off the last four overs. Dhawan fell soon after on 70 when he tried to pull a slower-bouncer from Mohsin, but gloved it to the wicketkeeper. Curran fell first ball trying to pull Mohsin.

Thereafter, it was an uphill task for PBKS, particularly with Livingstone struggling with an injury he sustained in the field. Livingstone fought on till the end but couldn’t prevent an LSG triumph.

Earlier in the day, Nicholas Pooran walked out for the toss as captain for LSG in place of KL Rahul, who only batted and was later substituted by the Impact Player, Naveen. Pooran said this was done to ease Rahul into the tournament as he was returning from an injury. LSG chose to bat first on a good wicket in front of their supportive home fan base.

LSG’s innings was initially spearheaded by Quinton de Kock, who smashed a 38-ball 54. Rahul started well but was dismissed when he tried to find the gap through point but was caught superbly by Bairstow. In the sixth over, Devdutt Padikkal made room and tried to go over mid-off, only to find the fielder.

Meanwhile, de Kock soldiered on and batted at a good pace. The innings got real impetus when Pooran joined de Kock. The 27-ball 47-run stand set a proper platform for a big score. Although de Kock was dismissed in the 14th over, Pooran’s attack continued as he smashed his way to 42 off 21 balls, featuring three fours and three sixes, until he inside-edged one onto the stumps from Kagiso Rabada.

In the slog overs, Krunal Pandya’s enterprising knock (43 not out off 22 balls) helped push LSG towards 200.

PBKS bowlers kept striking at regular intervals, but with Pandya in the middle, LSG looked set to cross 200. It was only a good last over by Harshal Patel that kept LSG a run short of that 200-run mark. In an innings where batters generally attacked, Sam Curran was the pick of the bowlers with 3-28 in his four overs. (IPL)