Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) scripted history when they took on Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 38 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 on Friday. LSG batters completely dominated the proceedings, taking PBKS bowlers to the cleaners and posting the second-highest team total in the history of the cash-rich league.
The likes of Marcus Stoinis (72 off 40), Kyle Mayers (54 off 24), Nicholas Pooran (45 off 19), and Ayush Badoni (43 off 24) all shined with the bat, helping Lucknow reach a mammoth total of 257/5, making it the highest total of this season.
However, in the major run-fest, LSG skipper KL Rahul couldn’t impress and ended up scoring only 12 from 9 deliveries. It has been a mixed season for him with the willow and his struggle appeared to be two-way. Rahul’s lack of consistency in scoring big has hampered LSG’s ability to achieve high scores. Additionally, even when Rahul performs well, his low strike rate has a negative impact on the team’s ability to post big scores. This issue is highlighted by a statistic that has been circulating on the internet, indicating that whenever Rahul performs well, the team tends to struggle to put up a high score.
The data reveals that whenever Rahul has scored over 20 runs, LSG has struggled to post a big total. Notably, the team’s highest total with Rahul’s score above 20 is only 154 for 7 in 20 overs. In contrast, whenever Rahul has scored less than 20 runs, LSG has consistently achieved a total close to or above 200.
LSG’s totals in IPL 2023
- When KL Rahul scored more than 20 runs: 127/5 (16 overs), 159/8, 154/7, 128/7
- When KL Rahul scored 20 or less: 193/6, 205/7, 213/9, 257/5
LSG’s totals and KL Rahul’s score this season:
257 vs PBKS – Rahul 12 (9)
213 vs RCB – Rahul 18 (20)
205 vs CSK – Rahul 20 (18)
193 vs DC – Rahul 8 (12)159 vs PBKS – Rahul 74 (56)
154 vs RR – Rahul 39 (32)
128 vs GT – Rahul 68 (61)
127 vs SRH – Rahul 35 (31)#LSGvsPBKS pic.twitter.com/qHSkgroJVt— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) April 28, 2023
Notably, LSG’s impressive 56-run win over Punjab has also resulted in a considerable boost to their Net Run Rate (NRR) and they have jumped to second spot in the points table. Interestingly, the top four teams in the standings – Rajasthan Royals, LSG, Gujarat Titans, and Chennai Super Kings – all have 10 points, but the differentiating factor is their NRR.
