Boult, McCoy's fiery spell power RR to thumping 24-run win over LSG

Trent Boult and Obed McCoy's two-wicket haul respectively helped Rajasthan Royals register a 24-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL 2022 match here at Brabourne Stadium on Sunday.

Yashasvi Jaiswal (41) and Devdutt Padikkal (39) shined with the bat, while Trent Boult and Obed McCoy took two wickets respectively for Rajasthan Royals.

Chasing 179, Lucknow Super Giants got off a shaky start as they lost their opening batter, Quinton de Kock, and Ayush Badoni in the third over of the inning, which was delivered by Trent Boult. LSG skipper KL Rahul with Deepak Hooda tried to anchor the innings against the brilliant bowling of Rajasthan Royals.

But the duo could not stand longer as Prasidh Krishna removed KL Rahul for 10 runs to give RR a big breakthrough. Krunal Pandya then came to the crease to continue the proceeding with Hooda. Pandya looked in great touch, smashing Yuzvendra Chahal for a sixes over long-on.

After nine overs Lucknow needed 118 runs in 66 balls and a solid partnership to chase the tricky target. Hooda targeted spinner Chahal for 13 runs in the 11th over of the innings. The much-needed 50-run partnership could not stand for long as Pandya was dismissed by Ravichandran Ashwin for 24 off 23. Pandya's wicket put LSG under great pressure.

Lucknow crossed the 100-run mark in the 14th over. Hooda brought up his half-century in 33 balls. Hooda continued to look good, smashing Chahal for one four in the 16th over. However, his great inning come to an end when he was stumped by the wicket-keeper Sanju Samson after scoring 59 runs.

This brought Jason Holder to the crease to bat with Marcus Stoinis. But the latter could not stand long as he was dismissed by Obed McCoy in the 17th over after scoring just one run. In the last two overs, LSG needed a miracle to score 68 runs to win. Stoinis stood like the last hope for LSG but his reign also ended when Prasidh Krishna struck him in the last over and provided RR with a victory by 24 runs.

Earlier, batting first, Rajasthan Royals got off a shaky start, as the pacer Avesh Khan dislodged opener Jos Buttler's off-stump, sending him back to the pavilion in the third over for just 2 when the team's score was 11.

This brought the skipper Sanju Samson to the crease, who welcomed Avesh with a flick that went racing to the deep midwicket boundary for a four. He smashed pacer Mohsin Khan for two fours in the next over. The other opener Yashasvi Jaiswal also looked good from the other end. Jaiswal smacked pacer Dushmantha Chameera for 21 runs in the 6th over, which also included three fours and a six.

At the end of the powerplay, the Royals had recovered from an early hiccup, standing at a solid 51/1 with Jaiswal (34*) and Samson (13*).

Spin was introduced to the attack in the 8th over with Ravi Bishnoi, who Samson welcomed with a four over the covers, bringing up the fifty-run stand between him and Jaiswal, before smashing him for another at the final ball of the over.

LSG was in search of a breakthrough and pacer Jason Holder gave his time exactly that in the ninth over, dismissing Samson for 32 off 24 with assistance from the safe hands of Deepak Hooda, this ended the 64-run stand between the duo.

This brought the stylish southpaw Devdutt Padikkal to the crease to join the compatriot Jaiswal, who smashed Marcus Stoinis for two fours and a six in the next over.

At the end of 10 overs, RR stood at a solid 90/2, with Jaiswal (40*) and Padikkal (14*).

Padikkal continued to look good, smashing Chameera for two fours in the eleventh over. The short, quick-fire stand of 26 between the duo was broken in the 12th over after Ayush Badoni caught and bowled Jaiswal for 41 off 29.

Riyan Parag was next up to join Padikkal. Padikkal continued to dominate the proceedings, smashing Krunal Pandya for a six in the 13th over. But while attempting to hit a slog-sweep over deep midwicket, he was caught by Pandya and it was Bishnoi who got his wicket. Padikkal left for the pavilion after a well-made 39 off just 18 balls.

This brought the all-rounder Jimmy Neesham to the crease. At the end of 15 overs, RR stood at a solid 130/4, with Neesham (7*) and Parag (6*).

Parag survived a stumping attempt in the next over, which was referred upstairs for review. He took full advantage of this by smashing Mohsin Khan for a six over the cow corner and running for some crucial singles and doubles in the death overs.

At the first ball of the next over, Bishnoi dismissed Parag for 199 off 16 after Stoinis caught him at the deep midwicket. In the same over, Neesham was run out after a terrible mix-up for 14, sinking RR to 152/6. This brought the pacer, Trent Boult, to the crease.

Boult played an entertaining cameo at the end, helping RR finish off at 178/6 in their 20 overs, with him (17*) off 9 and Ravichandran Ashwin (10*).

Ravi Bishnoi was the pick of the bowlers for LSG, taking 2/31 in his quota of four overs. Avesh Khan, Holder, and Badoni got one wicket each.

Brief Scores: Rajasthan Royals 178/6 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 41, Devdutt Padikkal 39, Ravi Bishnoi 2/31) against Lucknow Super Giants 154/8 (Deepak Hooda 59, Marcus Stoinis 27; Trent Boult 2-18).