KL Rahul becomes player with third-highest fifty-plus scores as opener in IPL

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 22 (ANI): Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper KL Rahul's knock of 68 (61) against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Saturday was insufficient to take his team across the finishing line, but he managed to become the third-highest-fifty-plus run scorer as an opener in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

KL Rahul has scored 50 plus scores as an opener 35 times in the IPL. Delhi Capitals skipper David Warner currently leads the chart, as he has scored 57 times 50 plus runs as an opener. The second position is held by one of the most decorated batters in the history of IPL Shikhar Dhawan. The left-handed batter has scored 48 times 50 plus runs as an opener.

Before Rahul, Indian veteran opener Gautam Gambhir and West Indies destructive opener Chris Gayle were joint scores and held the third position. Both batters have scored 50-plus runs as an opener 34 times each.

Rahul's heroics with the bat went in vain as, in the chase of 136 runs, KL Rahul started off by playing another maiden over. But he went on a rampage from the third over, smashing Mohammed Shami for three successive fours and Rashid Khan for two straight boundaries in the fifth over. Kyle Mayers was the anchor on the other end, with KL acting as an accelerator.

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At the end of the powerplay, LSG was at 53/0 in six overs, with Rahul (30*) and Mayers (23*) unbeaten at the crease. Rashid Khan gave GT the breakthrough, dismissing Mayers for 24 off 19 balls, with two fours and a six. LSG was at 55/1. Rahul continued to accelerate well on the other hand, while Krunal Pandya took some time to settle.

Halfway through the innings, LSG was at 80/1, with Krunal (14*) and Hardik (42*) unbeaten at the crease.

Rahul brought up his 33rd IPL fifty in 38 balls. The duo brought up their fifty-run stand.

Noor Ahmed ended the 51-run stand between Rahul-Krunal, dismissing the latter for 23 off 23 balls, consisting of two fours and six. LSG was at 106/2 in 14.3 overs.

Following some great scores, Pooran got his second single-digit score as he was dismissed for just one run by Noor Ahmed, who got his second wicket. Skipper Hardik Pandya caught him, leaving LSG at 110/3 in 16.5 overs.

Mohit Sharma gave away six runs in the 18th over, leaving LSG to score 17 runs in the final two. However, with his next over, Mohammed Shami gave away only five runs, leaving the hosts to get 12 in the final over.

Rahul lost his wicket to Mohit Sharma while attempting to clear the boundary, caught by Jayant Yadav. Rahul was dismissed for 68 off 61 balls with eight boundaries. LSG was at 126/4 in 19.2 overs and needed 10 in the final four balls. Mohit got Marcus Stoinism on the very next ball for a golden duck. LSG was reduced to 126/5 with ten runs to get in three balls.

Badoni was run out on the next ball for just eight runs, completing a team hat-trick. LSG sunk to 1276/6 in 19.4 overs, needing nine runs in two balls. Deepak Hooda was also run out for just one run, leaving LSG with eight runs to get on the final ball. The team got four wickets in four balls.

LSG finished their innings at 128/7 in their 20 overs, with Prerak Mankad and Ravi Bishnoi unbeaten at 0 each. (ANI)