KKR vs LSG, IPL 2023 Highlights: Rinku classic in vain as Lucknow qualify

Rinku hits a six off the last ball, ends the game unbeaten on 67 off 33 but LSG have confirmed qualification to the playoffs. What a game, what a finish. KKR's race has been run this season. Making it to the top four is pretty much an impossibility now but Rinku Singh has certainly put in one of the great performances in the history of the IPL this year. 

Full and wide, Rinku can only hit it along the ground to long-off. Now KKR need 8 to win off the last ball. Yash just needs to hold his nerve now.

Last three balls, 18 needed, three sixes needed and Rinku proceeds to hit one of them. How about that. They needed 19 off 3 originally, then Yash sends in a wide ball. The follow up is full on the stumps, Rinku sends it over the leg side. Now KKR need 12 off 2!

Arora backs away early and gets the ball far enough away for a safe single. Rinky has five legal balls to face and 20 runs to score.

Vaibhav Arora is the man on strike. Rinku was kept at the crease rather chaotically off the last ball of that over. Naveen looks a bit shell-shocked, now it is Yash Thakur bowling the last over.

Oh a giant hit and Rinku has reached 51 in 27! Pulls the fifth ball from Naveen and sends it sailing into the crowd. 20 runs off the over so far with one left.

Short and slow from Naveen, Rinku waits and reaches up, sends it to deep third man. KKR need 29 from 9, can Rinku do this?

This time it is bang off the middle of the bat. Naveen goes full outside off, Rinku drills it to deep extra cover.

KKR need 37 to win off 11 balls. He goes for a big pull off the first ball of the 19th bowled by Naveen, it goes behind off an outside edge.

Shardul Thakur hits the fourth ball of the 18th straight to deep backward square. Longer boundary which he fails to clear, Mankad makes no mistake with the catch.

Shardul Thakur c Mankad b Yash Thakur 3 (7), 134/6 in 17.4 overs

Second ball of the 18th, Rinku pulls the short ball from Yash Thakur over the leg side boundary. KKR need 44 off 16.

SIX AND OUT! Russell gives everything to a big hoick over the leg side boundary. Misses it entirely and the off stump goes.

A four off the last ball of that over by Rinku Singh. He is on 21 off 17 and Andre Russell is on 1 off five. KKR need to get a move on now, their required rate has gone past 12.50.

Gurbaz skies an attempted big hit off the fourth ball of the 14th bowled by Yash Thakur. The ball flew up, Bishnoi was there but he needed three attempts to hold on at last.

Gurbaz c Ravi Bishnoi b Yash Thakur 10 (15), KKR 108/4 (13.4 overs)

Krunal Pandya strikes. He gets the last ball of the 11th to stay low, Roy looked to clip it but misses it completely. It hits the stumps and he misses out on a well deserved half century.

Roy b Pandya 45 (28), KKR 82/3 in 10 overs

Rana sends the ball into the hands of extra cover and Bishnoi gets one. 100 T20 wickets for Bishnoi. 

Rana c Pandya b Ravi Bishnoi 8 (10), KKR 78/2 in 8.3 overs

That is the end of that blistering opening partnership. Venkatesh chips Gowtham to extra cover.

Iyer c Ravi Bishnoi b Gowtham 24 (15), KKR 61/1 in 5.5 overs

Remember that thing about LSG having to ensure KKR are all out for 75 runs to cement a spot in the top two? Well Roy and Venkatesh have all but ensured that it won't happen in this powerplay.

KKR have absolutely blasted past the 50-run mark, what a start they have here. Roy slaps the second ball between cover and point and then sends the third past deep third man.

Jason Roy with a reverse sweep off the first ball of the fifth. Gets it past point.

Roy on 21 off 12, Iyer on 15 off 6. Just a four off the first ball of that over bowled by Krunal Pandya.

Well let's say this now, KKR need to chase this target down in 8.5 overs to actually skip above the rest of the sides on 14 points on NRR. They are now 29/0 in 1.4 overs.

KKR playing like a team who have nothing to lose. Roy skips down the track again off the next ball and this time sends Naveen downtown for six.

Naveen bowling the second over, Roy skips down the track for for the second and pulls him along the ground downtown.