Watch: 21 needed off 6, Stoinis to Rinku - 4, 6, 6, 2, W, W… a last over for the ages in LSG vs KKR IPL 2022 match
Marcus Stoinis and Rinku Singh scripted a last over for the ages in the KKR vs LSG IPL match. The game had everything – a century from a world-class batter, a high-scoring total, a fightback that no one saw coming and a nail-biting finish. In the end, it was LSG, who emerged victorious.
There was no shortage of drama in Wednesday's IPL 2022 match between Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders. The game had everything – a century from a world-class batter, a high-scoring total, a fightback that no one saw coming and a nail-biting finish. In the end, it was LSG, who held their nerves and saw off KKR in a last-ball thriller in Navi Mumbai, thus ensuring their playoff berth and sending the two-time IPL champions packing.
After LSG posted 210/0 – yes, that is correct – KKR were all over the place initially struggling at 9/2. But a fight shown by Nitish Rana, captain Shreyas Iyer, and most importantly Rinku Singh, took the game deep. A scintillating 58-run partnership between Rinku and Sunil Narine (21 not out off 7 balls) off just 3 overs left KKR with 21 to get from the final over. From there, it was all drama.
Rinku smashed the first ball of the over for a four, and followed it with back-to-back sixes – one over deep midwicket and the next straight down the ground. From 21 off 6, the equation narrowed down to 5 needed off 3 balls. Rinku and Narine stole a couple of runs the next ball, making it 3 needed off 2. The possibilities of Super Over beckoned, before Stoinis bowled the possibly the two most memorable deliveries of his career. Off the penultimate ball of the match, Rinku sliced a slower and wider ball in the air, which was taken handsomely by Evin Lewis. In what could be the catch of the tournament, Lewis came running in, slipped but held on to the catch one-handed… a screamer if you will.
Watch Video: Rinku Singh Marcus Stoinis script last over for the ages in LSG vs KKR IPL 2022 match
With three needed off 1 ball to win and two for a Super Over, new man Umesh Yadav was on. He had two options, either to play the ball intelligently and take two runs, or go for the win. Umesh decided to go for the latter, swinging his bat at a perfect yorker. Timber, and victory was LSG’s. Stoinis, who bowled the all-important last over, spoke after the match on the final over of the match.
"Initially, my feeling was I should've bowled through the middle. At the start of the over you play a bit to the conditions, a bit to the long boundary, a bit to what the batter wants to do. As things get worse, you go towards what you like to bowl and what works for you. That's a learning for me. Feel more comfortable going for the straighter yorker. We're always aiming at something - at the feet of the batters, at the stumps, at the cones in practice. We're giving him Man of the Match (Lewis for the catch). The conference happens which is good, everyone wants to have an input. But you have to bowl what you believe is your best ball," Stoinis said after the match.