Mitchell Marsh launched a punishing century, but Lucknow Super Giants’ flow was repeatedly interrupted by rain as they built 209 for 3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a match reduced to 19 overs per side. After three separate weather delays close to an hour in total, the game was adjusted under DLS, leaving RCB needing 213 to win in the revised chase.
Key takeaways
- Lucknow finished on 209 for 3 in an innings that was shortened to 19 overs due to rain.
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s revised target became 213 under the DLS method.
- Mitchell Marsh struck 111 off 56 balls, with nine fours and nine sixes during his assault.
- Rishabh Pant contributed a quick finishing burst, ending unbeaten on 32 from 10 deliveries.
- Josh Hazlewood was targeted early, including two big straight sixes in the opening burst of damage.
Marsh’s century powers LSG to 209/3
Marsh set the tone from the moment he walked out, striking cleanly all around the ground in a display of aggressive timing. He began by building a 95-run opening association with Arshin Kulkarni (17), giving Lucknow the early platform before he accelerated further alongside Nicholas Pooran (38).
From there, Marsh added another 70 runs with Pooran as the innings shifted into a high-tempo phase. The Australian opener also found plenty of success in the Powerplay, with his 56-ball knock featuring nine boundaries of each type—fours and sixes—highlighting how dominant he was over the early overs.
With Lucknow’s chances in the playoffs hanging in the balance, Marsh played like he had to change the game in his team’s favour immediately. He took apart the Royal Challengers bowling with relentless aggression, and Josh Hazlewood became the focus of the early carnage. Marsh launched two towering sixes straight over Hazlewood’s head, then followed that up with three scoring shots in Hazlewood’s next over.
RCB tried to counter the onslaught by bringing in Rasikh Dar as early as the fifth over, but it did not slow Marsh down. The burly batter continued his march forward, striking back-to-back sixes and then adding another boundary shortly after.
Marsh also reached his quickest IPL fifty in just 20 balls, underlining the pace of his innings. As he took control of the scoring, Lucknow raced to 95 without loss after nine overs, with the required momentum clearly in their favour—until the weather briefly intervened.
Rain breaks rhythm, but Pant finishes strongly
LSG’s momentum was disrupted when rain paused play for around 30 minutes. When action resumed, Krunal Pandya ended Arshin Kulkarni’s stay at the crease, bringing Nicholas Pooran to the crease.
Pooran wasted no time and struck Rasikh for back-to-back boundaries. Marsh continued to press the advantage, moving to his century with consecutive fours and then launching a thunderous six over cover-point. That big hit came right as rain halted play for the third time.
Marsh was dropped by Devdutt Padikkal on 110, but the reprieve did not change his fate. He eventually fell to Hazlewood at deep point, and that paved the way for the next burst from Rishabh Pant.
After Marsh’s dismissal, Pant took over the finishing role, striking four fours and two sixes to lift Lucknow to the total of 209 for 3. He remained unbeaten on 32 off just 10 deliveries as the innings closed, setting RCB a revised DLS target of 213 in the shortened chase.
