RR vs LSG Highlights, IPL 2023: Lucknow win by 10 runs, hand Rajasthan a reality check in low-scoring encounter

Ashwin strikes twice in the same over as he cleans up Kyle Mayers for 51(42). 

Chahal, who has been a bit expensive tonight, comes to bowl his final over and does a decent job despite powerhitters Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran batting in the middle. He concedes five runs in the over as LSG reach 109/4 in 15 overs. Chahal: 4-0-41-0

R Ashwin strikes as Shimron Hetmyer grabs a superb catch at mid-wicket to get rid of Deepak Hooda for 2(4). LSG lose three quick wickets as Marcus Stoinis walks into bat. LSG: 99/3 (13.2 overs)

Trent Boult comes to bowl his final over and he is finally rewarded with a wicket. Ayush Badoni tries to be innovative and tries to scoop Boult towards fine leg. However he gets an edge, which then knocks the stumps. He falls for 1(4).

Yuzvendra Chahal is brought into the attack in the next over and Kyle Mayers hits the spinner for consecutive fours and then completes his half-century with a single. Takes 40 deliveries to reach the milestone. LSG 98-2 (13 overs)

A change of end for Jason Holder as he replaces Yuzvendra Chahal, who had conceded 18 runs in his previous over. 

The tall bowler concedes three singles in his first three balls before providing Rajasthan with the first breakthrough in the fourth delivery. Pitches it full and KL Rahul goes for the aerial route. However, his shot finds Jos Buttler at long-on as he falls for 39(32). 

Ayush Badoni is the new batter in. LSG: 83/1 (11 overs)

Ashwin is back into the attack and KL Rahul starts the over with a single. Mayers then plays a dot, and the next delivery it pitched way outside the off-stump, which is signaled wide by the umpire. He then rotates the strike in the third ball, before Rahul does the same in the next. 

Mayers then plays a dot and then gets a single in the final ball. LSG: 79/0 (10 overs)

Yuzvendra Chahal continues from his end and is welcomed by Kyle Mayers with a huge SIX. Steps down and picks up the flighted ball as he sends it over the long-off fence. 

The second ball also results in a four after an under edge off Mayers' bat beats the keeper and races for a four. 

Rahul too joins the party and hits the spinner for a maximum over mid-wicket. The ball travels 103m. LSG: 74/0 (9 overs) | KL Rahul 36(28), Kyle Mayers 35(27)

Another bowling change as Jason Holder comes into the attack. As he struggles to time the ball, he hits a length ball by Holder for a maximum. Makes room for his himself and knocks the ball over the long-off fence for a SIX and rotates the strike in the next ball. 

KL Rahul then finishes the over with a four as the ball bounces just before the fence towards the mid-wicket region. LSG: 56/0 (8 overs)

Yuzvendra Chahal is introduced straight after the powerplay and he starts with a seven-run over. LSG: 43/0 (7 overs)

R Ashwin is introduced in the final over of powerplay and he starts with six runs. 

Meanwhile, there was a run-out appeal against Kyle Mayers in the first ball, who was running towards the non-striker's end. However, TV replay confirms that Ashwin had already knocked the bails with his hands before collecting the ball. LSG: 37/0 (6 overs)

Kyle Mayers hit Trent Boult for a SIX. He picks up the full delivery this time and lofts it over cover for a flat six.

Rahul then gets an outside edge later in the over, which goes wide of the wicketkeeper and races for a boundary.

Rahul then tries to loft the final delivery by Boult towards long-off but fails to time it. The ball flies in the air as Jason Holder chases after it, completes his ground but fails to hold onto it and it results in a double. He is now dropped on 12. LSG: 31/0 (5 overs)

Sandeep Sharma bowls it full against Rahul and he tries to drive it towards the cover region. Fails to keep the ball on the ground as it goes straight to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who drops a simple catch. Rahul gets a second chance on 6(9). LSG: 16/0 (3.4 overs)

Another tight over by Trent Boult as Kyle Mayers can only manage two runs in it. LSG: 14/0 (3 overs)

KL Rahul hits Sandeep Sharma for a FOUR in the final ball, square of the wicket. The seamer pitches it full and outside off stump line and Rahul leans forward and drives it in the gap between cover and point. LSG: 12/0 (2 overs)

Sandeep Sharma shares the new ball with Boult. He too starts with a dot against Kyle Mayers, before a thick edge helps the ball travel towards the third-man region for a four. Fortunate for the batter as it lands right in front of Boult, who did make an attempt to catch the ball.

Sandeep then bowls a no-ball but Mayers fail to make any use of the freehit before he rotates the strike in the fourth ball. LSG: 6/0 (1.4 overs)

Trent Boult starts with a maiden over and almost had KL Rahul's wicket in the final ball, but an inside edge saves him from a plumb. LSG: 0/0 (1 over)

Bout starts tight as he beats the outside edge of KL Rahul in the first ball as the ball settles in Samson's gloves. The next two balls is knocked down towards the fielder on the off-side. 

Good start by Boult. LSG: 0/0 (0.3 over)

KL Rahul and Kyle Mayers walk-in to kick-off the proceedings. Trent Boult leads the attack for Rajasthan. 

Lucknow Super Giants: Amit Mishra, Jaydev Unadkat, Krishnappa Gowtham, Prerak Mankad, Daniel Sams

Rajasthan Royals: Devdutt Padikkal, Murugan Ashwin, Donavon Ferreira, Navdeep Saini, Joe Root

Rajasthan Royals: Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson(w/c), Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jason Holder, Trent Boult, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal

Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul(c), Kyle Mayers, Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya, Nicholas Pooran(w), Ayush Badoni, Naveen-ul-Haq, Avesh Khan, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Ravi Bishnoi

Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson wins toss, opts to bowl.

In a big boost for LSG, left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan, who made a mark in the previous edition, is reported to have joined his peers at Lucknow Super Giants camp and might get a chance to play in the remaining matches of the Indian Premier League 2023. He had missed the starting matches due to a shoulder injury.

Yuzvendra Chahal, who have been substituted twice in five matches, believes Rajasthan have made great use of the new Impact Player rule.

"It has worked in our favour given the way Dhruv (Jurel) and Dev (Devdutt Padikkal) have batted. It is a plus point because I am of no use with the bat. It helps when you are chasing a big total and an extra batter gets added, which is a plus point," said Chahal at the pre-match presser.

After initial hiccups, Devdutt Padikkal too has come up with cameos but will hope for a solid show as Rajasthan play their first home match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

If we shift our focus to Rajasthan Royals bowling department, they have the best spinners in their rank in the form of R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal.

The availability of Adam Zampa gives them a cushion to field third specialist spinner.

Meanwhile, the seam department is spearheaded by Trent Boult, who has found great support from IPL veteran Sandeep Sharma.

The spinners had won them the match against Chennai Super Kings, which saw Sandeep defend seven runs in the final three balls with MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja batting in the middle. 

Meanwhile, Boult had played a key role in their resounding win against Delhi Capitals.

However, the challenge for Lucknow is nothing less than an uphill climb. Rajasthan Royals have a formidable top-order consisting Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson.

Buttler has scored 204 runs is their leading run-scorer, Jaiswal too has struck at a strike-rate of 150. He has scored 136 runs so far in the tournament. 

However, the last encounter against Gujarat saw both the batters fai but Samson then stood up to the task. He scored a 32-ball 60, while West Indies power-hitter Shimron Hetmyer finished the job for the Royals with an unbeaten 56 off 26 balls.