Lucknow Super Giants managed 2 crucial points on the board after outclassing Punjab Kings in Match 42 of IPL 2022 at the MCA Stadium in Pune, but LSG captain KL Rahul was not one bit happy with his team’s batting performance, saying they ‘played stupid cricket’.

Lucknow Super Giants successfully defended a below-par total of 153 after a rare failure from KL Rahul with the bat. Quinton de Kock made 46 and stitched an 85-run stand with Deepak Hooda for the 2nd wicket, but LSG suffered a middle-order collapse. They went from 98 for 1 to 126 for 7, losing 8 wickets for just 28 runs in a span of 5 overs.

Big guns, including Marcus Stoinis, Jason Holder and Krunal Pandya, fell for single-digit scores as LSG huffed and puffed to 153, thanks to some late blows from lower-order batters Mohsin Khan and Dushmantha Chameera.

“I was disappointed and fuming at the end of the first innings. We played stupid cricket with the bat,” Rahul said at the post-match presentation.

“We need to get better with the bat. Half-time, when Quinny and Deepak were batting. They paced it really, really well to get to 60 in 9 overs on a tricky wicket. Had we batted smartly, we could have gotten to 180-190.

“I think we just need to be smarter at reading the game. If we could not have played too many shots, we could have done better. We have been good on the field and good with the ball. Just need to keep repeating the good things.”

After an underwhelming show with the bat, LSG bowlers put up a spirited display as pacer Dushmantha Chameera (2/17) and Krunal Pandya (2/11) grabbed two wickets each.

Young Mohsin Khan, who had hit a quickfire 13 from 6 deliveries, picked up 3 wickets, including that of Liam Livingstone, as Punjab Kings managed just 133 on the board.

BRILLIANT KRUNAL PANDYA

Skipper KL Rahul was proud of the bowling effort and made special mention of Krunal Pandya, saying the all-rounder has been consistently delivering for them with the ball in IPL 2022.

“The way we responded with the ball was phenomenal. Krunal has been brilliant throughout the tournament. This season he has really worked on his bowling. Bowling economically is important but he has been giving us two three wickets in the middle overs,” Rahul added.

LSG moved to the 3rd spot after their 20-run win on Friday. Rahul’s men have 12 points from 9 matches and are looking set to make the play-offs of the 10-team season.