Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants, IPL, 2024 Full score card

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Match 15, M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, 02 Apr, 2024

Lucknow Super Giants

LSG

181/5

(20.0) overs

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

RCB

153/10

(19.4) overs

Lucknow Super Giants beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 28 runs

Player Of The Match

Mayank Yadav,
Lucknow Super Giants
Lucknow Super Giants
Summary
Scorecard
Commentary
News
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Lucknow Super Giants

Commentary

Right then, that's it from the coverage of this game. The action in the Indian T20 League will continue on 3rd April 2024. In this game, Delhi will be going up against Kolkata. The first ball will be at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but as you know you can join us early for the build-up. Until then, take care and goodbye.

Mayank Yadav wins the Player of the Match award for his stunning bowling spell. He starts by saying that it feels really good to win POTM in two consecutive matches. States that his aim is to serve for the country for as long as possible. Informs that he loved the wicket of Green. States that to bowl at a good speed a lot of things are important which includes diet, sleep etc. This is what he aims at.

Lucknow's skipper KL Rahul says that it was a really good performance. States that it was obvious that the wicket was a bit tricky. Adds that there was help for the fast bowlers and it was a bit sticky. Feels that by the time the opposition's bowlers assessed what length to bowl, they had already scored a good amount of runs. Shares that they had decided to use the wicket and not go for the yorkers straightaway. Says that one ball hit him really hard but it was nice to see Mayank bowl. Further adds that he has waited patiently for two years and it was nice to see him bowl from 20 yards behind the stumps. Mentions that he gets tempted to bowl first, given the trend in T20 cricket but his team's record speaks differently. Feels that it is crucial the way his team stays in the game and will try to pick up wickets in the Powerplays.

Stay tuned for the presentations...

Quinton de Kock is in for a quick chat. He starts by saying that it is always nice to score runs for the team. Batting first is always difficult in Bengaluru. mentions at first he thought 180 wasn't enough. States that the ball was holding and bouncing. Informs that he aimed to bat longer, as they kept losing wickets in the middle overs. Adds that he is glad to have Mayank in the side. He is keeping it really simple, which is working really well for him.

Faf du Plessis, the captain of Bengaluru, says that dropping catches can really cost you. Mentions that as with any new young fast bowler, it is the action you haven't faced before and he has the pace behind it. Adds that Mayank Yadav's pace was great but his ability to control length and bowl with discipline was more impressive. Feels that they did not bowl well and made a lot of mistakes in the Powerplay. Adds that they gave some easy boundaries but bowled good at the death to bring them back. States that you need partnerships while chasing but never got that. Ends by saying that it was disappointing, but they need some strong characters in that dressing room to put their hands up.

Lucknow were just spectacular with the ball in hand, there was a moment during the death overs when Yash Thakur went for a plenty, but he came back stronger to pick up a wicket. Not only him, it was M. Siddharth who stole the eyeballs, by starting with the new ball. He got three overs on the trot, which did wonders for the visitors as he got the better of Virat Kohli which started the collapse for the hosts. Mayank Yadav kept stealing the thunder, yet again he stood out with his three-wicket haul. Naveen-ul-Haq collected a brace. All-in-all, it was a great performance from Lucknow across all departments.

Chasing 182 was always going to be tricky on this two-paced surface. Bengaluru though started well with the bat, their opening partnership laid down a solid platform, but no one could really build on the good work. They kept losing wickets at regular intervals. At the end of 10 overs, they were teetering at 63/4, and just during this period, it was Mayank Yadav who ran riots with the ball in hand. In his three overs until this point, he picked up two wickets by giving away just three runs. Then came a kind of fightback from Bengaluru, but it just wasn't enough. Mahipal Lomror hit a few lusty blows to keep his side in the game, but he single-handedly could not do much.

A spectacular catch by Nicholas Pooran certainly is a fitting end to this intriguing contest. Lucknow have got the better of Bengaluru here and have extended their winning run, two wins on the trot. Just what they were looking for coming into this contest. Bengaluru could've been in the game, only if they were a bit better in the field. They dropped two huge catches, one of Quinton de Kock when he was on 30 and the other of Nicholas Pooran, who took take the game away from them in the death overs. Bengaluru are still in hunt for their second win of this season. Although it continues to evade them. Lucknow have come to south and done the impossible, left the crowd silenced.

19.4W

OUT! CAUGHT! All over for Bengaluru! Naveen-ul-Haq wraps it up and he has a second wicket to his name! Naveen-ul-Haq rolls his fingers over the ball and lands it full, on middle and leg, Mohammed Siraj winds up to go down the ground. Does not get the elevation this time and hits it flat towards long on. Nicholas Pooran picks it up early this time and sprints across to his left. He reaches out to his left and grabs with both hands before tumbling, making a tough catch look easy. Lucknow win by 28 runs!

19.30

This is at pace, angling in, on middle and leg, on a back of a length, Mohammed Siraj backs away a bit to use the pace and ramp it over the keeper but fails to connect.

19.20

Takes pace off and serves it on a hard length, outside off, Mohammed Siraj shapes up to go back over the bowler's head but misses out.

19.11

Serves it on a back of a length, on off, Reece Topley punches it wide of extra cover and takes a single.

Runs Scored 14 Runs

Score after 19 overs : 152/9

M Siraj12 (5)

R Topley2 (5)

R Bishnoi3-0-33-0

18.66

SIX! And again! Something for the Bengaluru crowd to cheer! On a nagging length, on the off-stump line, Mohammed Siraj walks across his stumps and leaves nothing in the tank. Hits it back over the bowler's head for six more runs.

18.56

SIX! BANG! A bit too full from Bishnoi, outside off, Mohammed Siraj gets underneath it and dispatches it flat and over wide long off for a maximum.

18.40

Given LBW! A confident appeal and up goes the finger! It looks dead straight but Mohammed Siraj has sent it upstairs. Ravi Bishnoi dishes out a googly, on a nagging length, on middle, Mohammed Siraj gets half-forward to defend but fails to read the googly. It turns him to go past the bat and pings him on the front pad. There is nothing on UltraEdge but the ball is going over the stumps.

18.41wd

WIDE! Slips in a googly but the line is down leg, left alone for a wide by Siraj.

18.30

Floats it up, full and on off, Mohammed Siraj presses forward to keep it out on the off side.

18.21

Short and on off, Reece Topley cuts it wide of point for a single.

18.10

Flat and short, on middle, Reece Topley plays it back to the bowler.

Runs Scored 2 Runs

Score after 18 overs : 138/9

M Siraj0 (1)

R Topley1 (3)

Y Thakur4-0-38-1

17.60

Slower and on a back of a length, outside off, Mohammed Siraj has a feel for the delivery but fails to get any sort of connection.

Mohammed Siraj comes in to bat now.

17.5W

OUT! TAKEN! That should do it for Lucknow! Bengaluru's last hope departs! Goes full and keeps it near the tramline on off, Mahipal Lomror sits himself deep in his crease and reaches out to smack it over wide long off. Hits it flat and hard and it goes straight to Nicholas Pooran there. The ball is hit so hard that the right hand comes off but Pooran does well to keep it in his grasp.

17.41

Quick single taken! Length delivery, on off, Reece Topley taps it in front of cover and takes a quick single to bring Mahipal Lomror on strike.

17.30

Lands it on a back of a length, on off, Reece Topley dabs it in front of point. He wants a single but gets sent back in the nick of time by his partner.

17.20

On a hard length, around off, Reece Topley pokes at the delivery and gets beaten on the outside edge.

Reece Topley comes out at number 10.

17.11W

OUT! RUN OUT! Nicholas Pooran does not pick up the ball but it does not matter. He knows where the stumps are and fires in a rocket. Yash Thakur serves it on a length, around off, Mahipal Lomror goes deep in his crease and looks to go downtown. Slices it in the air towards long off. Nicholas Pooran runs in but loses the ball in the lights and the ball drops safely in front. Mayank Dagar wants to bring Mahipal Lomror back on strike but the latter sends him back halfway. Dagar slips while returning and the throw from Pooran hits the stumps at the batting end.

Runs Scored 13 Runs

Score after 17 overs : 136/7

M Dagar0 (1)

M Lomror32 (11)

Naveen3-0-24-1

16.60

At pace and fuller, in the channel on off, Mayank Dagar stays leg side of the ball and throws his hands at it, only to connect with thin air. Naveen-ul-Haq closes out the over well with a wicket and a dot. Bengaluru need 46 runs in 18 balls and all rests on the shoulder of Mahipal Lomror now.

Mayank Dagar walks out with the blade.

Commentary

We are back for Bengaluru's reply. The crowd roar as the two Bengaluru openers stride out to the centre. Lucknow are seen in a huddle near the ropes before they take their places on the field. It will be the dynamic duo of Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis to open the innings for Bengaluru. Lucknow bring in M. Siddharth as their Impact Player in place of Quinton de Kock. The left-arm spinner, Siddharth will start with the new ball. Let's play...

...  THE RUN CHASE ...

Right then, Lucknow have the momentum with them courtesy of their strong finish with the bat. The Lucknow pacers would have seen their counterparts go about their business and will look to replicate it by taking pace off on what is a two-paced wicket. In the last game in Bengaluru, we saw the pitch getting easier to bat in the second half and that should help Bengaluru feel confident enough to gun down the total. Back in a bit for the chase.

Glenn Maxwell is in for a quick chat. He starts by saying that he kept it pretty simple. Believes that 181 is going to be a tough chase. Need to be their best tonight. He has worked on his run-up, and has been able to get a bit more extra bounce. Felt that they started really slow, and conceded plenty of boundaries early on. Mentions a few dropped catches might've costed them a little bit. Informs that the wicket is two-paced and feels they need to be careful with their approach.

As for Bengaluru, they have done well to keep Lucknow to 181, given the kind of start Lucknow had. Bengaluru went with a new pair up front of Reece Topley and Yash Dayal but their Powerplay woes continued. Glenn Maxwell was rewarded for his disciplined bowling with the wicket of KL Rahul without much support from the other end. The middle phase of the inning saw Glenn Maxwell go about his business miserly as ever with the pacers chipping in to keep a leash on the scoring rate. Mayank Dagar and Cameron Green just could not get their lengths right which put them on the back foot a bit. With 7 overs remaining in the inning, the Bengaluru pacers used their smarts and varied the pace to not allow the Lucknow batters to have it their way. However, they were a bit off in the last couple of overs and also Anuj Rawat dropped Nicholas Pooran when he was on 2 for which they were made to pay for. Glenn Maxwell was the pick of the bowlers for Bengaluru with figures of 2 for 23 from his four overs.

Nicholas Pooran gives Lucknow the finishing kick they were after but one feels that they are still 10-15 runs short. 33 runs came off the last overs and that has helped Lucknow get to 181. Quinton de Kock went hammer and tongs right from the word go and delivered Lucknow a brisk start. KL Rahul tried to follow suit but perished in the process. The visitors slowed up a bit once the field restrictions were lifted and the departure of Devdutt Padikkal meant that de Kock had to wait a bit before going into the top gear. He found an able alley in Marcus Stoinis and the duo soon began to get a move on. Quinton de Kock got to his fifty off 36 balls and the platform was set to go big with the score 121-2 at the end of 13 overs. de Kock and Stoinis fell in the space of three overs and the onus was then on Pooran to help his side finish strongly which he certainly did.

Runs Scored 13 Runs

Score after 20 overs : 181/5

N Pooran40 (21)

K Pandya0 (0)

M Siraj4-0-47-1

19.61

A single to end the over. It is too full, outside off. Pooran hits it down to long off for a single. Lucknow end their innings at 181/5.

19.56

SIX! He goes again. This time into the top-tier over the mid-wicket region. Short one, on the body. Pooran is ready for it and sends it sailing into the stands.

19.46

SIX! All the way. Nicholas Pooran manages to reach this one and makes the most of it. It is too full, outside off. Pooran shuffles and smokes it over the cover fence.

19.30

Excellent bowling from Siraj. A slower bumper this time, on middle. Nicholas Pooran looks to hook it away but fails to do so.

19.20

Two dots in a row, Good start from Siraj. He continues to bowl away from Pooran. It is too full, near the tramline. Pooran takes a review for the same. The third umpire confirms that as the batter comes across a long way it is a fair delivery.

19.10

Mohammed Siraj goes full, wide of off. Pooran swings hard at it but misses. Relief for are the fans across the stadium.

Mohammed Siraj will bowl the final over. He has gone for 34 runs in his three overs. Can he keep Lucknow under 180?

Runs Scored 20 Runs

Score after 19 overs : 168/5

N Pooran27 (15)

K Pandya0 (0)

R Topley4-0-39-1

18.61

Slower one, on a length, outside off. Pooran works it to long on for a single. 20 runs come from this over. Just what the doctor ordered for Lucknow.

18.50

A rare dot ball. Fuller one, wide of off. Pooran chases it but misses. Pooran takes a review for wide. The third umpire confirms that the ball is well inside the tramline.

18.46

SIX! BANG, BANG, KABOOM! This one has gone on the roof. Shorter one, on the body. Pooran swivels and smokes it over the mid-wicket fence for a 106m long maximum.

18.36

SIX! Reece Topley misses his line once again and pays the price. A juicy full toss, wide outside off. Nicholas Pooran sets himself, opens the blade nicely and slashes it over deep backward point for a biggie.

18.26

SIX! BANG! A full toss, wide outside off. Nicholas Pooran swings hard and sends it sailing over the cover fence for a maximum. Flat and hard. He is trying to make sure Lucknow have enough runs on the board.

18.21wd

WIDE! Reece Topley goes full, but way outside the tramline. The umpire extends his arms.

18.10

Length, outside off, left alone.

Krunal Pandya walks in now. It will be Reece Topley (3-0-19-1) to bowl the penultimate over.

Runs Scored 5 Runs

Score after 18 overs : 148/5

A Badoni0 (3)

N Pooran8 (9)

Y Dayal4-0-24-1

17.6W

OUT! CAUGHT! Yash Dayal picks up a wicket on the final delivery of his spell. He surely deserves one with the way he has bowled tonight. It is a short ball, outside off. Ayush Badoni's eyes lit up after looking at the width. He tries to go for the upper cut but does not middle it. The ball flies over covers. Faf du Plessis there runs backward and takes a sharp catch to send back Badoni who could've been dangerous.

17.51

Good length, outside off. Pooran slices it towards long on for a single,

17.40

Three dots on the trot. This is exceptional from Dayal. Goes full, wide of off. Away from the wheelhouse. Nicholas Pooran reaches out but only to work it back to the bowler off the toe-end.

17.30

Pooran swings hard but the ball hits him on his body instead. A length ball, on off. Nicholas Pooran puts everything into this shot but only to connect with thin air.

17.20

Back of a length, outside off. Pooran gets it back to the bowler off the inner half.

17.14

FOUR! Incredible shot. A fuller one, wide of off. Nicholas Pooran gets on his front foot and crunches it through point for four runs.

Runs Scored 2 Runs

Score after 17 overs : 143/4

A Badoni0 (2)

N Pooran3 (4)

R Topley3-0-19-1

16.60

Two dots in a row to end the over. Shorter this time, around middle and leg. Ayush Badoni pulls it but only to find the fielder at square leg.

16.50

Length ball, on the pads. Badoni tucks it away.

Ayush Badoni is in at number 6.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Lucknow Super Giants
Batter R B 4s 6s SR
V Kohli

c D Padikkal b Siddharth

22 16 2 1 137.50
du Plessis

run out (D Padikkal)

19 13 3 0 146.15
R Patidar

c D Padikkal b M Yadav

29 21 2 2 138.09
G Maxwell

c N Pooran b M Yadav

0 2 0 0 0
C Green

b M Yadav

9 9 1 0 100
A Rawat

c D Padikkal b M Stoinis

11 21 0 0 52.38

c N Pooran b Y Thakur

33 13 3 3 253.84
D Karthik

c Rahul b Naveen

4 8 0 0 50
M Dagar

run out (N Pooran)

0 1 0 0 0
R Topley

not out

3 6 0 0 50
M Siraj

c N Pooran b Naveen

12 8 0 2 150
Extras

(b 0,lb 3,w 8,nb 0,Penalty 0)

11
Total 19.4 (RR: 7.78)
153/10

Did not bat:

Fall of wickets:

(V Kohli, 4.2 ov) (du Plessis, 5.1 ov) (G Maxwell, 5.4 ov) (C Green, 7.4 ov) (A Rawat, 12.5 ov) (R Patidar, 14.2 ov) (D Karthik, 16.5 ov) (M Dagar, 17.1 ov) (M Lomror, 17.5 ov) (M Siraj, 19.4 ov)
Bowler O M R W ER
3 0 21 1 7.00
K Pandya
1 0 10 0 10.00
Naveen
3.4 0 25 2 6.81
M Yadav
4 0 14 3 3.50
R Bishnoi
3 0 33 0 11.00
Y Thakur
4 0 38 1 9.50
M Stoinis
1 0 9 1 9.00
Batter R B 4s 6s SR

c M Dagar b R Topley

81 56 8 5 144.64
Rahul

c M Dagar b G Maxwell

20 14 0 2 142.85
D Padikkal

c A Rawat b M Siraj

6 11 0 0 54.54
M Stoinis

c M Dagar b G Maxwell

24 15 1 2 160
N Pooran

not out

40 21 1 5 190.47
A Badoni

c du Plessis b Y Dayal

0 3 0 0 0
K Pandya

not out

0 0 0 0
Extras

(b 0,lb 0,w 10,nb 0,Penalty 0)

10
Total 20.0 (RR: 9.05)
181/5

Did not bat: R Bishnoi, Y Thakur, Naveen, M Yadav,

Fall of wickets:

(Rahul, 5.3 ov) (D Padikkal, 8.5 ov) (M Stoinis, 13.5 ov) (de Kock, 16.4 ov) (A Badoni, 18 ov)
Bowler O M R W ER
R Topley
4 0 39 1 9.75
Y Dayal
4 0 24 1 6.00
M Siraj
4 0 47 1 11.75
G Maxwell
4 0 23 2 5.75
M Dagar
2 0 23 0 11.50
C Green
2 0 25 0 12.50
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Lucknow Super Giants

Commentary

Right then, that's it from the coverage of this game. The action in the Indian T20 League will continue on 3rd April 2024. In this game, Delhi will be going up against Kolkata. The first ball will be at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but as you know you can join us early for the build-up. Until then, take care and goodbye.

Mayank Yadav wins the Player of the Match award for his stunning bowling spell. He starts by saying that it feels really good to win POTM in two consecutive matches. States that his aim is to serve for the country for as long as possible. Informs that he loved the wicket of Green. States that to bowl at a good speed a lot of things are important which includes diet, sleep etc. This is what he aims at.

Lucknow's skipper KL Rahul says that it was a really good performance. States that it was obvious that the wicket was a bit tricky. Adds that there was help for the fast bowlers and it was a bit sticky. Feels that by the time the opposition's bowlers assessed what length to bowl, they had already scored a good amount of runs. Shares that they had decided to use the wicket and not go for the yorkers straightaway. Says that one ball hit him really hard but it was nice to see Mayank bowl. Further adds that he has waited patiently for two years and it was nice to see him bowl from 20 yards behind the stumps. Mentions that he gets tempted to bowl first, given the trend in T20 cricket but his team's record speaks differently. Feels that it is crucial the way his team stays in the game and will try to pick up wickets in the Powerplays.

Stay tuned for the presentations...

Quinton de Kock is in for a quick chat. He starts by saying that it is always nice to score runs for the team. Batting first is always difficult in Bengaluru. mentions at first he thought 180 wasn't enough. States that the ball was holding and bouncing. Informs that he aimed to bat longer, as they kept losing wickets in the middle overs. Adds that he is glad to have Mayank in the side. He is keeping it really simple, which is working really well for him.

Faf du Plessis, the captain of Bengaluru, says that dropping catches can really cost you. Mentions that as with any new young fast bowler, it is the action you haven't faced before and he has the pace behind it. Adds that Mayank Yadav's pace was great but his ability to control length and bowl with discipline was more impressive. Feels that they did not bowl well and made a lot of mistakes in the Powerplay. Adds that they gave some easy boundaries but bowled good at the death to bring them back. States that you need partnerships while chasing but never got that. Ends by saying that it was disappointing, but they need some strong characters in that dressing room to put their hands up.

Lucknow were just spectacular with the ball in hand, there was a moment during the death overs when Yash Thakur went for a plenty, but he came back stronger to pick up a wicket. Not only him, it was M. Siddharth who stole the eyeballs, by starting with the new ball. He got three overs on the trot, which did wonders for the visitors as he got the better of Virat Kohli which started the collapse for the hosts. Mayank Yadav kept stealing the thunder, yet again he stood out with his three-wicket haul. Naveen-ul-Haq collected a brace. All-in-all, it was a great performance from Lucknow across all departments.

Chasing 182 was always going to be tricky on this two-paced surface. Bengaluru though started well with the bat, their opening partnership laid down a solid platform, but no one could really build on the good work. They kept losing wickets at regular intervals. At the end of 10 overs, they were teetering at 63/4, and just during this period, it was Mayank Yadav who ran riots with the ball in hand. In his three overs until this point, he picked up two wickets by giving away just three runs. Then came a kind of fightback from Bengaluru, but it just wasn't enough. Mahipal Lomror hit a few lusty blows to keep his side in the game, but he single-handedly could not do much.

A spectacular catch by Nicholas Pooran certainly is a fitting end to this intriguing contest. Lucknow have got the better of Bengaluru here and have extended their winning run, two wins on the trot. Just what they were looking for coming into this contest. Bengaluru could've been in the game, only if they were a bit better in the field. They dropped two huge catches, one of Quinton de Kock when he was on 30 and the other of Nicholas Pooran, who took take the game away from them in the death overs. Bengaluru are still in hunt for their second win of this season. Although it continues to evade them. Lucknow have come to south and done the impossible, left the crowd silenced.

19.4W

OUT! CAUGHT! All over for Bengaluru! Naveen-ul-Haq wraps it up and he has a second wicket to his name! Naveen-ul-Haq rolls his fingers over the ball and lands it full, on middle and leg, Mohammed Siraj winds up to go down the ground. Does not get the elevation this time and hits it flat towards long on. Nicholas Pooran picks it up early this time and sprints across to his left. He reaches out to his left and grabs with both hands before tumbling, making a tough catch look easy. Lucknow win by 28 runs!

19.30

This is at pace, angling in, on middle and leg, on a back of a length, Mohammed Siraj backs away a bit to use the pace and ramp it over the keeper but fails to connect.

19.20

Takes pace off and serves it on a hard length, outside off, Mohammed Siraj shapes up to go back over the bowler's head but misses out.

19.11

Serves it on a back of a length, on off, Reece Topley punches it wide of extra cover and takes a single.

Runs Scored 14 Runs

Score after 19 overs : 152/9

M Siraj12 (5)

R Topley2 (5)

R Bishnoi3-0-33-0

18.66

SIX! And again! Something for the Bengaluru crowd to cheer! On a nagging length, on the off-stump line, Mohammed Siraj walks across his stumps and leaves nothing in the tank. Hits it back over the bowler's head for six more runs.

18.56

SIX! BANG! A bit too full from Bishnoi, outside off, Mohammed Siraj gets underneath it and dispatches it flat and over wide long off for a maximum.

18.40

Given LBW! A confident appeal and up goes the finger! It looks dead straight but Mohammed Siraj has sent it upstairs. Ravi Bishnoi dishes out a googly, on a nagging length, on middle, Mohammed Siraj gets half-forward to defend but fails to read the googly. It turns him to go past the bat and pings him on the front pad. There is nothing on UltraEdge but the ball is going over the stumps.

18.41wd

WIDE! Slips in a googly but the line is down leg, left alone for a wide by Siraj.

18.30

Floats it up, full and on off, Mohammed Siraj presses forward to keep it out on the off side.

18.21

Short and on off, Reece Topley cuts it wide of point for a single.

18.10

Flat and short, on middle, Reece Topley plays it back to the bowler.

Runs Scored 2 Runs

Score after 18 overs : 138/9

M Siraj0 (1)

R Topley1 (3)

Y Thakur4-0-38-1

17.60

Slower and on a back of a length, outside off, Mohammed Siraj has a feel for the delivery but fails to get any sort of connection.

Mohammed Siraj comes in to bat now.

17.5W

OUT! TAKEN! That should do it for Lucknow! Bengaluru's last hope departs! Goes full and keeps it near the tramline on off, Mahipal Lomror sits himself deep in his crease and reaches out to smack it over wide long off. Hits it flat and hard and it goes straight to Nicholas Pooran there. The ball is hit so hard that the right hand comes off but Pooran does well to keep it in his grasp.

17.41

Quick single taken! Length delivery, on off, Reece Topley taps it in front of cover and takes a quick single to bring Mahipal Lomror on strike.

17.30

Lands it on a back of a length, on off, Reece Topley dabs it in front of point. He wants a single but gets sent back in the nick of time by his partner.

17.20

On a hard length, around off, Reece Topley pokes at the delivery and gets beaten on the outside edge.

Reece Topley comes out at number 10.

17.11W

OUT! RUN OUT! Nicholas Pooran does not pick up the ball but it does not matter. He knows where the stumps are and fires in a rocket. Yash Thakur serves it on a length, around off, Mahipal Lomror goes deep in his crease and looks to go downtown. Slices it in the air towards long off. Nicholas Pooran runs in but loses the ball in the lights and the ball drops safely in front. Mayank Dagar wants to bring Mahipal Lomror back on strike but the latter sends him back halfway. Dagar slips while returning and the throw from Pooran hits the stumps at the batting end.

Runs Scored 13 Runs

Score after 17 overs : 136/7

M Dagar0 (1)

M Lomror32 (11)

Naveen3-0-24-1

16.60

At pace and fuller, in the channel on off, Mayank Dagar stays leg side of the ball and throws his hands at it, only to connect with thin air. Naveen-ul-Haq closes out the over well with a wicket and a dot. Bengaluru need 46 runs in 18 balls and all rests on the shoulder of Mahipal Lomror now.

Mayank Dagar walks out with the blade.

16.5W

OUT! TAKEN! Naveen-ul-Haq fights back and he roars in delight! The crowd go silent again! Naveen-ul-Haq goes wide of the crease from the over-the-wicket angle and digs it in short, at the body of the batter, slower as well, Dinesh Karthik gets cramped for room and shapes up for the pull. The ball comes on slower than he anticipated and it lobs off the gloves for KL Rahul to take the simplest of catches.

16.51wd

WIDE! Attempts the slower delivery again but the line is down leg, Dinesh Karthik lets it go for a wide. Naveen-ul-Haq clearly under pressure.

16.41lb

Leg bye! Goes full and straight, at the stumps, Mahipal Lomror clears his front leg and gets down to swipe it across the line. He misses as the ball rolls off his back leg towards the keeper and they cross.

16.34

FOUR! Clever, very clever! Comes from over the wicket and takes pace off as he goes short, on off, Mahipal Lomror has to wait for the ball to arrive to ramp it over the keeper. He adjusts well and gets it over KL Rahul for a boundary. The crowd have found their voices again.

16.26

SIX! Mahipal Lomror goes big! It goes into the top tier and he is striking it sweetly here! On a good length, angling in, outside off, Mahipal Lomror holds his shape and with a clean bat swing, tonks it over long on for a biggie.

16.11

Lands it on a back of a length, slower as well, around off, Dinesh Karthik cuts it to deep point for a single.

Strategic break! The asking rate for Bengaluru is still nearly 15, so they need to make sure of scoring at least two boundaries in an over, if they wish to take it deep. If this stand keep growing, anything can happen. Lucknow have done extremely well so far with the ball in hand. It is all about keeping the composure now. One small mistake, and the game could turn around. This is what T20 cricket is all about.

Runs Scored 19 Runs

Score after 16 overs : 123/6

D Karthik3 (6)

M Lomror22 (8)

Y Thakur3-0-36-0

15.61

This is off-pace by Thakur, on a length, on off, Dinesh Karthik hits it towards cover and sets off for the run. Devdutt Padikkal fails to gather it cleanly which allows Karthik to make his ground at the bowling end. 19 runs off the over and Bengaluru now need 59 from the last four overs.

15.51

Full and honing in, on middle, Mahipal Lomror flicks it through mid-wicket and gets to the other end.

15.46

SIX! More runs! On a length, slower as well, on middle, Mahipal Lomror clears his front leg and swats it across the line. The long on fielder is too straight and the ball evades him for six more runs. Turning out to be just the over Bengaluru were after.

15.34

FOUR! Not where he intended but Bengaluru will take it any way they come! On a hard length, angling in, on off, Mahipal Lomror arches back and throws his hands at it. Gets an outside edge that flies past the keeper for a boundary.

15.26

SIX! Hit flat and Mahipal Lomror gets the distance! Takes pace off and it is fuller as well, outside off, Mahipal Lomror winds up and stays low to make the connection. Thumps it flat over the wide long off fence for a maximum.

15.11

Bowls it at 137 kph, on a length, on off and middle, Dinesh Karthik goes deep in his crease to flick it away. Gets an inside edge onto the pads and it rolls on the leg side for a single.

Runs Scored 1 Runs

Score after 15 overs : 104/6

D Karthik1 (4)

M Lomror5 (4)

M Yadav4-0-14-3

14.61

Short ball, outside off. Dinesh Karthik punches it to sweeper cover for one. He ends is spell on a high, with a three-wicket haul by conceding only 14 runs. These are some great numbers.

14.50

Mayank Yadav almost picked up his fourth. It is a length ball, around off, nips back into the batter. Dinesh Karthik is caught inside the crease. He tries to flick it away but misses. The finger though goes up instantly and DK has taken a review here. UltraEdge confirms that no bat is involved. The Ball Tracking shows that the ball is missing the wickets. The on-field decision has to be overturned here.

14.40

Good length this time, angled into the body. Dinesh Karthik shuffles and tucks it into square leg.

14.30

Mayank Yadav dishes a short ball, outside off. Dinesh Karthik shuffles across and leaves it alone for the keeper.

Dinesh Karthik makes his way out to the centre now.

14.2W

OUT! CAUGHT! Devdutt Padikkal has been everywhere in the field. But when you talk about wickets, it is Mayank Yadav who continues to dominate that standing. It is a short ball, on off. Rajat Patidar goes for the pull shot but does not middle it. The ball goes towards deep square leg. Devdutt Padikkal settles under it and takes a sharp catch.

14.10

Back of a length, around off. Patidar blocks it from inside the crease.

Runs Scored 9 Runs

Score after 14 overs : 103/5

R Patidar29 (19)

M Lomror5 (4)

Y Thakur2-0-17-0

13.61

Length, around off, pushed into covers for one.

13.51lb

LEG BYE! Good slower ball, around leg. Mahipal Lomror looks to flick it away but misses and takes a blow on his pads. Yash Thakur puts in an appeal but the umpire shows no interest. The ball rolls out into the off side, and Lomror ventures out looking for a single but was sent back as he hits it straight back at Deepak Hooda. He has a shy at the striker's end but misses. The batters cross for a leg bye via an overthrow.

13.41

Pace-up, on a length, around off. Rajat Patidar defends it into the off side for a single.

13.31

Length, around off. Lomror dabs it to short third for a quick single. 100 is up for the hosts now. They need 82 runs in 39.

13.24

FOUR! Cracking hit. It is short, plenty of width on offer. Mahipal Lomror cashes in and slaps it over point for a boundary.

13.11

Yash Thakur dishes a full one, on off. Rajat Patidar works it to long on for one.

Runs Scored 9 Runs

Score after 13 overs : 94/5

M Lomror0 (1)

R Patidar26 (16)

M Stoinis1-0-9-1

12.60

Good length, outside off. Lomror looks to cut it away but gets beaten on the outside edge. A wicket-taking over from Marcus Stoinis comes to an end.

12.5W

OUT! CAUGHT! Marcus Stoinis sticks with the short ball ploy and it pays off this time around. Back of a length, outside off. Rawat comes down the track, but ends up meeting the bouncer again. He goes for the pull but ends up chipping it towards mid on. Devdutt Padikkal takes the simplest of catches to put Bengaluru in a spot of bother.

Bengaluru bring in Mahipal Lomror as their Impact Player, replacing Yash Dayal. Lomror walks out to bat now.

12.55wd

FIVE WIDES! Oh dear! Marcus Stoinis serves a sharp bumper, on middle. This one flies off the deck. It beats the keeper as well and it races down to the third man fence.

12.42

Slower bumper, outside off. Anuj Rawat cuts it late towards deep backward point. The fielder in the deep does well to keep it down to two runs.

12.30

Marcus Stoinis goes short this time, outside off. Rawat gets it to mid off off the toe-end.

12.21

A length ball, angled into the pads. Rajat Patidar gets it to square leg off the inner half. One taken.

12.11

Slower and fuller, outside off. Rawat drives it through covers for one.

Marcus Stoinis has been handed the ball now.

Runs Scored 13 Runs

Score after 12 overs : 85/4

R Patidar25 (15)

A Rawat8 (17)

R Bishnoi2-0-19-0

11.64

FOUR! 13 runs come from this over. Just what Bengaluru needed. Slower one, full and on off. Rajat Patidar gets a hold of it once again and slams it down to long on for a boundary this time.

11.56

SIX! THIS IS HUGE! A quicker one, full and on middle. Rajat Patidar picks it up nicely and launces it over the bowler's head for a maximum.

11.41

DROPPED! Krunal Pandya misses a huge opportunity near the ropes here. A short ball, outside off. Anuj Rawat has seen enough and he decides to pull the trigger here. It is flat and hard towards deep square leg. Krunal Pandya there makes a meal of it.

11.31

It is full, angled into the pads. Rajat Patidar sweeps it to deep mid-wicket for one.

11.21

Floated and full, on leg. Rawat slogs it to deep square leg. It meets the fielder on a bounce. One taken.

11.10

A googly this time, outside off. Anuj Rawat tries to go after it but misses.

Runs Scored 9 Runs

Score after 11 overs : 72/4

A Rawat6 (14)

R Patidar14 (12)

Y Thakur1-0-9-0

10.61

Good length, outside off. Rawat dabs it to point for a quick single.

10.51

Length, around off. Rajat Patidar punches it to covers for a single.

10.46

SIX! UP AND OVER! Just what the doctor ordered for Bengaluru. This could even act as a confident booster for Rajat Patidar. It is a short ball, siding down leg. Rajat Patidar picks it up nicely and sends it sailing over the fine leg fence for a biggie.

10.31

Back of a length, wide of off. Rawat slaps it towards long off for one.

10.20

Back of a length, wide of off. This one flies off the deck. Anuj Rawat looks to go after it but misses. Anuj Rawat thinks this should've been a wide, he does not take the review though.

10.10

Yash Thakur starts with a short ball, in the corridor of uncertainty. Anuj Rawat hangs back and tries to guides it towards deep third. Although, it flies off the gloves, but does not carry to Ravi Bishnoi at short third.

Yash Thakur comes on to bowl now.

Runs Scored 3 Runs

Score after 10 overs : 63/4

R Patidar7 (10)

A Rawat4 (10)

M Yadav3-0-13-2

9.60

Delivers it on a back of a length, on off, Rajat Patidar gets on his toes and rides the bounce to dab it to backward point.

9.50

Digs it in short now, just outside off, Rajat Patidar sways away from the line of the ball and leaves the ball alone for the keeper to collect.

9.41

Switches to around the wicket and serves it on a hard length, closer to the off-stump line, Anuj Rawat cuts it late and it goes down to deep backward point for a single.

9.30

Bends his back and bangs it into the deck, on off, Anuj Rawat goes back in the crease and gets inside the line again to help the ball with the pace on offer but fails to connect.

9.22

Goes full and straight, at the stumps, Anuj Rawat stays rooted in his crease and flicks it through square leg for a couple of runs.

9.10

Lands it on a back of a length, over middle, Anuj Rawat walks inside the line and swings to help it away fine on the leg side but misses.

Strategic break! A much-needed break for the home side. They are behind the 8-ball here in this run chase. The hosts started well, with a cautious approach, although since losing Virat Kohli, no one has really been able to stay calm at the crease for Bengaluru. A mini-collapse took place and now they have placed themselves at a precarious position. There is a long way to go for them in this run chase, but to do it against a bowling side that has hardly made any mistakes so far, is always going to be tricky.  For Lucknow, their young sensation in Mayank Yadav has surpassed his expectations once again. Can he continue with his good work? Let us find out as he continues from his attack.

Runs Scored 1 Runs

Score after 9 overs : 60/4

R Patidar7 (8)

A Rawat1 (6)

Naveen2-0-12-0

8.60

Closer to the off-stump line, on a good length, Rajat Patidar covers the line of the ball and stabs it down on the off side.

8.50

At 136.8 kph, on a hard length, angling in, on off, Rajat Patidar has a fiddle at the delivery away from his body and he is lucky not to nick this one behind.

8.41

A bit too straight, on a length, on the pads, Anuj Rawat flicks it through square leg for a single to get off the mark.

8.30

Keeps it in the channel on off, on a good length, Anuj Rawat walks across his stumps and lets it go through to the keeper.

8.20

Beaten! Angling away from the left-hander, on a back of a length, on off, Anuj Rawat has a slight poke at the delivery and gets beaten on the outside edge.

8.10

Bowls it on a good length, around off, Anuj Rawat dabs it down on the off side.

Runs Scored 5 Runs

Score after 8 overs : 59/4

A Rawat0 (2)

R Patidar7 (6)

M Yadav2-0-10-2

7.61lb

Ouch, that has hit! Mayank hits the deck hard and gets it to zip through, on a back of a length, on middle, Anuj Rawat fails to put bat to ball and gets beaten on the inside edge. The ball sneaks past the bat and hits him near the waist. The ball rolls on the off side and they cross.

7.50

Fuller in length, on off, Anuj Rawat gets on the front foot and covers the line of the ball to play it back to the bowler.

Anuj Rawat comes in at number 6.

7.4W

OUT! CASTLED! Mayank Yadav is pumped and the Bengaluru crowd is stunned! The batters just seem to have now clue and Mayank is running riot here. Hurls it on a good length, around top of off, Cameron Green stays leg side of the ball and gets beaten for pace all ends up. His feet go nowhere and plays down the wrong line as he looks to keep it out with a straight bat. The ball zips past the outside edge and cips the top of the off-stump.

7.34

FOUR! Just over! On a good length, outside off, Cameron Green clears his front leg and swings across the line. Hits it flat and gets it just over wide on where Nicholas Pooran gets only fingertips to it.

7.20

Play and a miss! Bowls it in the channel on off, on a hard length, Cameron Green arches back for the cut but connects with thin air.

7.10

This is on a back of a length, around off, Cameron Green rides the bounce well and steers it to backward point.

Runs Scored 6 Runs

Score after 7 overs : 54/3

C Green5 (5)

R Patidar7 (6)

R Bishnoi1-0-6-0

6.61

Dishes out a googly, short and turning in, on middle, Cameron Green wrists it through mid-wicket for one more run.

6.50

This is short and top of off, Cameron Green gets on his toes and plays it back to the bowler.

6.41

Full and sliding onto the pads, Rajat Patidar tucks it in front of square on the leg side and gets to the other end.

6.30

Pushes it through, short and on middle and leg, Rajat Patidar goes on the back foot to flick it away but misses as the ball hits him high on the front pad.

6.21

Full and slanting in, on leg, Cameron Green works it off his toes to deep backward square leg for one.

6.21wd

WIDE! Short and going down leg, left alone by Green for a wide.

6.12

Starts with the googly, full and on off, Cameron Green knocks it to the left of long on for a couple of runs.

Runs Scored 6 Runs

Score after 6 overs : 48/3

R Patidar6 (4)

C Green1 (1)

M Yadav1-0-6-1

5.64

FOUR! Nicely done! Fullish delivery, sliding onto the pads, Rajat Patidar stays balanced and flicks it wide of deep backward square leg for a boundary.

5.51

Serves it on a fullish length, around off, Cameron Green glides it down to deep third and gets off the mark with a single.

Cameron Green is the new man in.

5.4W

OUT! TAKEN! Instant impact from Mayank Yadav! He continues to rush the batters and it is the big wicket of Glenn Maxwell, who goes for a duck. Lands it on a shortish length, at 151 kph, at the batter, Glenn Maxwell does not have any room to work it and shapes up for the pull. Gets hurried in his shot and it comes off the splice of the bat. It lobs tamely in front of mid on where Nicholas Pooran runs in and just about manages to hold on. Lucknow right on top at the moment.

5.30

Bends his back and bangs it in short, around off, Glenn Maxwell drops his wrists and lets the ball go through to the keeper.

5.21

Lands it on a back of a length, on off, Rajat Patidar steers it down to deep third for a single.

Glenn Maxwell comes out to the middle now.

5.1W

OUT! RUN OUT! Disaster for Faf du Plessis and Bengaluru. Devdutt Padikkal into the act again! Mayank Yadav steams in from over the wicket and serves it on a length, angling in, on middle and leg, Faf du Plessis clips it neatly and it goes straight to mid-wicket stationed near the ring. There was never a run in it but still du Plessis sets off for the single. A good, clean pick-up by Padikkal and he hits the stumps at the bowling end. The Bengaluru skipper was nowhere in the frame. Lucknow have been gifted a wicket here.

Runs Scored 6 Runs

Score after 5 overs : 42/1

du Plessis19 (12)

R Patidar1 (2)

Siddharth3-0-21-1

4.61

Back of a length, outside off. Faf du Plessis gets it into covers off the cue-end. One taken. The ploy of giving M. Siddharth the third over did the trick for Lucknow, but will they be able to capitalise on it?

4.50

Quicker and fuller, outside off. Faf du Plessis pushes it into covers for none.

4.41

An arm ball, full and on the pads. Rajat Patidar tucks it into mid-wicket for one.

4.30

Back of a length, outside off. Rajat Patidar punches it to covers off his back foot.

Rajat Patidar is in at number 3.

4.2W

OUT! Pin drop silence. This wicket has silenced the crowd. M. Siddharth with the victory lap and why not, he has gotten rid of Virat Kohli. What a wicket for the youngster. He will surely cherish it for long. It is full, around off. Virat Kohli throws the kitchen sink at it. The ball catches the top edge and lobs into covers. Devdutt Padikkal takes a sitter.

4.14

FOUR! Bengaluru now growing in this run chase. Shorter and quicker, on top of off. Virat Kohli rocks back and crunches it through covers for a fine boundary.

Runs Scored 11 Runs

Score after 4 overs : 36/0

du Plessis18 (10)

V Kohli18 (14)

Naveen1-0-11-0

3.64

FOUR! Sensational hit. Faf du Plessis rubs salt on the wounds with this boundary. It a length ball, coming back into the right-hander. Faf du Plessis stands tall and lofts it over mid on for four runs.

3.50

Pace-up delivery, full and outside off. It jags back in. Faf du Plessis looks to heave it across the line but misses. He takes a blow on his pads.

3.41

Length, on off. Kohli mistimes his shot to mid-wicket for an easy single.

3.36

SIX! KABOOM! Kohli goes downtown, and he gets the desired result. It is pitched up, around off. It is in the wheelhouse. He winds up and smokes it over the long off fence for a maximum.

3.20

Naveen-ul-Haq steams in and serves a full one, outside off. Kohli crunches it into mid off, but unable to find the gap once again.

3.10

Pitches it up, full and on middle. Kohli clips it towards mid on but straight to the fielder.

Runs Scored 12 Runs

Score after 3 overs : 25/0

du Plessis14 (8)

V Kohli11 (10)

Siddharth2-0-15-0

2.64

FOUR! This will surely hurt Lucknow. Short one, in the channel. Faf du Plessis rocks back and punches it through the gap at covers for a wonderful boundary.

2.54

FOUR! Short ball, on top leg stump. Faf du Plessis opens up his front leg and slams it down the park for a much-needed boundary. The first one off M. Siddharth as well.

2.42

M. Siddharth continues to keep it tight. In the air, but short of the fielder at point. It is fuller, outside off, turning away. Faf du Plessis comes down the track and drives it uppishly towards point. The fielder tries hard but unable to gather it on the full. Two runs taken.

2.31

On the pads, tucked to square leg for an easy single.

2.20

Flatter one, just on the fourth stump line. Kohli cuts it hard towards point but only to find the fielder. He is frustrated that he could not get it through the gap.

2.11

Fuller one, on off. Faf du Plessis knocks it into the off side for a single.

Runs Scored 10 Runs

Score after 2 overs : 13/0

du Plessis3 (4)

V Kohli10 (8)

K Pandya1-0-10-0

1.61

Short, angled into the body. Faf du Plessis tucks it towards mid on and crosses for a quick single. 10 runs come from this over, without taking any risk.

1.51

Slower one, drifting in around off. It grips and turns away. Kohli waits, opens the face and guides it towards short third for one.

1.41

Quicker one, angled into the pads. Faf du Plessis works it to square leg off the inner half. The batters take a quick single.

1.31

Shorter one, wide of off. Kohli waits for it and guides it towards third man for one.

1.24

FOUR! First boundary of the run chase. Lovely shot from Kohli. It is floated and full, around off. Kohli comes out of the crease and launches it over the bowler's head for a boundary. Plan to go with two spinners might just backfire here.

1.12

A quick one, on the pads. Kohli flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a brace.

It will be spin from both ends as Krunal Pandya comes on from the other end.

Runs Scored 3 Runs

Score after 1 overs : 3/0

V Kohli2 (4)

du Plessis1 (2)

Siddharth1-0-3-0

0.61

Slower through the air, full and on off. Kohli backs away and pushes it gently through covers for one. Just three singles come from this over. A brilliant start by M. Siddharth.

0.50

Very quick this time, on top of middle and leg. Virat Kohli mistimes it towards mid on.

0.41

Tossed up, full and on off. Faf du Plessis drives it down the park for a single.

0.30

Faf du Plessis gets a quicker one, swinging into him. Faf du Plessis hangs back and blocks it into covers.

0.21

Shorter, angled into the body. Kohli stands tall and pulls it to the right of mid on for a single to open his account.

0.10

M. Siddharth starts with a floated delivery, outside off. Kohli defends it into covers off the back foot.

Commentary

We are back for Bengaluru's reply. The crowd roar as the two Bengaluru openers stride out to the centre. Lucknow are seen in a huddle near the ropes before they take their places on the field. It will be the dynamic duo of Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis to open the innings for Bengaluru. Lucknow bring in M. Siddharth as their Impact Player in place of Quinton de Kock. The left-arm spinner, Siddharth will start with the new ball. Let's play...

...  THE RUN CHASE ...

Right then, Lucknow have the momentum with them courtesy of their strong finish with the bat. The Lucknow pacers would have seen their counterparts go about their business and will look to replicate it by taking pace off on what is a two-paced wicket. In the last game in Bengaluru, we saw the pitch getting easier to bat in the second half and that should help Bengaluru feel confident enough to gun down the total. Back in a bit for the chase.

Glenn Maxwell is in for a quick chat. He starts by saying that he kept it pretty simple. Believes that 181 is going to be a tough chase. Need to be their best tonight. He has worked on his run-up, and has been able to get a bit more extra bounce. Felt that they started really slow, and conceded plenty of boundaries early on. Mentions a few dropped catches might've costed them a little bit. Informs that the wicket is two-paced and feels they need to be careful with their approach.

As for Bengaluru, they have done well to keep Lucknow to 181, given the kind of start Lucknow had. Bengaluru went with a new pair up front of Reece Topley and Yash Dayal but their Powerplay woes continued. Glenn Maxwell was rewarded for his disciplined bowling with the wicket of KL Rahul without much support from the other end. The middle phase of the inning saw Glenn Maxwell go about his business miserly as ever with the pacers chipping in to keep a leash on the scoring rate. Mayank Dagar and Cameron Green just could not get their lengths right which put them on the back foot a bit. With 7 overs remaining in the inning, the Bengaluru pacers used their smarts and varied the pace to not allow the Lucknow batters to have it their way. However, they were a bit off in the last couple of overs and also Anuj Rawat dropped Nicholas Pooran when he was on 2 for which they were made to pay for. Glenn Maxwell was the pick of the bowlers for Bengaluru with figures of 2 for 23 from his four overs.

Nicholas Pooran gives Lucknow the finishing kick they were after but one feels that they are still 10-15 runs short. 33 runs came off the last overs and that has helped Lucknow get to 181. Quinton de Kock went hammer and tongs right from the word go and delivered Lucknow a brisk start. KL Rahul tried to follow suit but perished in the process. The visitors slowed up a bit once the field restrictions were lifted and the departure of Devdutt Padikkal meant that de Kock had to wait a bit before going into the top gear. He found an able alley in Marcus Stoinis and the duo soon began to get a move on. Quinton de Kock got to his fifty off 36 balls and the platform was set to go big with the score 121-2 at the end of 13 overs. de Kock and Stoinis fell in the space of three overs and the onus was then on Pooran to help his side finish strongly which he certainly did.

Runs Scored 13 Runs

Score after 20 overs : 181/5

N Pooran40 (21)

K Pandya0 (0)

M Siraj4-0-47-1

19.61

A single to end the over. It is too full, outside off. Pooran hits it down to long off for a single. Lucknow end their innings at 181/5.

19.56

SIX! He goes again. This time into the top-tier over the mid-wicket region. Short one, on the body. Pooran is ready for it and sends it sailing into the stands.

19.46

SIX! All the way. Nicholas Pooran manages to reach this one and makes the most of it. It is too full, outside off. Pooran shuffles and smokes it over the cover fence.

19.30

Excellent bowling from Siraj. A slower bumper this time, on middle. Nicholas Pooran looks to hook it away but fails to do so.

19.20

Two dots in a row, Good start from Siraj. He continues to bowl away from Pooran. It is too full, near the tramline. Pooran takes a review for the same. The third umpire confirms that as the batter comes across a long way it is a fair delivery.

19.10

Mohammed Siraj goes full, wide of off. Pooran swings hard at it but misses. Relief for are the fans across the stadium.

Mohammed Siraj will bowl the final over. He has gone for 34 runs in his three overs. Can he keep Lucknow under 180?

Runs Scored 20 Runs

Score after 19 overs : 168/5

N Pooran27 (15)

K Pandya0 (0)

R Topley4-0-39-1

18.61

Slower one, on a length, outside off. Pooran works it to long on for a single. 20 runs come from this over. Just what the doctor ordered for Lucknow.

18.50

A rare dot ball. Fuller one, wide of off. Pooran chases it but misses. Pooran takes a review for wide. The third umpire confirms that the ball is well inside the tramline.

18.46

SIX! BANG, BANG, KABOOM! This one has gone on the roof. Shorter one, on the body. Pooran swivels and smokes it over the mid-wicket fence for a 106m long maximum.

18.36

SIX! Reece Topley misses his line once again and pays the price. A juicy full toss, wide outside off. Nicholas Pooran sets himself, opens the blade nicely and slashes it over deep backward point for a biggie.

18.26

SIX! BANG! A full toss, wide outside off. Nicholas Pooran swings hard and sends it sailing over the cover fence for a maximum. Flat and hard. He is trying to make sure Lucknow have enough runs on the board.

18.21wd

WIDE! Reece Topley goes full, but way outside the tramline. The umpire extends his arms.

18.10

Length, outside off, left alone.

Krunal Pandya walks in now. It will be Reece Topley (3-0-19-1) to bowl the penultimate over.

Runs Scored 5 Runs

Score after 18 overs : 148/5

A Badoni0 (3)

N Pooran8 (9)

Y Dayal4-0-24-1

17.6W

OUT! CAUGHT! Yash Dayal picks up a wicket on the final delivery of his spell. He surely deserves one with the way he has bowled tonight. It is a short ball, outside off. Ayush Badoni's eyes lit up after looking at the width. He tries to go for the upper cut but does not middle it. The ball flies over covers. Faf du Plessis there runs backward and takes a sharp catch to send back Badoni who could've been dangerous.

17.51

Good length, outside off. Pooran slices it towards long on for a single,

17.40

Three dots on the trot. This is exceptional from Dayal. Goes full, wide of off. Away from the wheelhouse. Nicholas Pooran reaches out but only to work it back to the bowler off the toe-end.

17.30

Pooran swings hard but the ball hits him on his body instead. A length ball, on off. Nicholas Pooran puts everything into this shot but only to connect with thin air.

17.20

Back of a length, outside off. Pooran gets it back to the bowler off the inner half.

17.14

FOUR! Incredible shot. A fuller one, wide of off. Nicholas Pooran gets on his front foot and crunches it through point for four runs.

Runs Scored 2 Runs

Score after 17 overs : 143/4

A Badoni0 (2)

N Pooran3 (4)

R Topley3-0-19-1

16.60

Two dots in a row to end the over. Shorter this time, around middle and leg. Ayush Badoni pulls it but only to find the fielder at square leg.

16.50

Length ball, on the pads. Badoni tucks it away.

Ayush Badoni is in at number 6.

16.4W

OUT! CAUGHT! Reece Topley does not have to stress a lot as he gets rid of the big fish on the very next delivery. The set batters makes his way back. Opportunity for Bengaluru to end on a high. It is a full toss, outside off. Quinton de Kock goes through with his shot and ends up chipping it to long off. Mayank Dagar there takes a good catch running in from the deep.

16.31

DROPPED! Miscommunication. Anuj Rawat calls for the catch. It is a slower ball, full and outside off. Nicholas Pooran looks to slog it away but it flies high off the top-edge. The ball goes towards square leg. The fielder from the circle is coming in but he sticks with the keeper's call and lets him go after it. Anuj Rawat dives in front but fails to gather it. One taken.

16.21

Just a single, won't hurt the bowling side a lot. A full toss, on the body. Quinton de Kock clips it to deep square leg for one.

16.10

Reece Topley starts his over with a dot ball. Positive start for sure. A slower one, full and outside off. Quinton de Kock looks to heave it across the line but is a bit early into the shot. He misses it.

Strategic break! Lucknow got a much-needed productive over and they will be hoping to get to at least 180 from here. A lot will rest on the shoulders of Quinton de Kock who has been there since the start while Nicholas Pooran has just arrived but expect him to get into the groove quickly to provide the finishing kick. Bengaluru have done well to keep a leash on the scoring rate in the middle phase. They will be hoping that they can execute their deliveries well to finish strongly with the ball and keep Lucknow to a manageable total.

Runs Scored 10 Runs

Score after 16 overs : 141/3

de Kock80 (53)

N Pooran2 (3)

M Siraj3-0-34-1

15.61

A low full toss, on the pads. Quinton de Kock flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a signle. Much more like Lucknow. Momentum with a slight shift.

15.54

FOUR! Up and over. It is very full, wide of off. Quinton de Kock reaches out, gets under it and lofts it over mid off for a cracking boundary.

15.40

Siraj now serves a slower one, into the deck. Quinton de Kock swivels and looks to pull it away but misses it completely.

15.34

FOUR! Mohammed Siraj goes full once again but gets punished this time. Quinton de Kock gets down on one knee and drills it down the park for a much-needed boundary. The first one since the last wicket as well.

15.20

It is very full, outside off. Quinton de Kock drives it uppishly towards mid off but it meets the fielder on a bounce.

15.11

Short ball, outside off. Nicholas Pooran mistimes his cut towards point for a quick single. It catches the inner half of the bat. Bengaluru trying to end on a high here.

Runs Scored 2 Runs

Score after 15 overs : 131/3

de Kock71 (48)

N Pooran1 (2)

Y Dayal3-0-19-0

14.60

On a full length, outside off, Quinton de Kock fails to squeeze it out.

14.50

Half a shout for caught behind but the umpire signals wide! Bangs it into the deck, angling in, on middle and leg, Quinton de Kock swivels in the crease for the pull but the ball gets a bit big on him and it goes past his gloves. The keeper, Anuj Rawat gathers it cleanly and thinks that it should not be a wide. Faf du Plessis takes the review for wide check. There is nothing on UltraEdge. The ball is passing below head height and the wide has been changed to dot.

14.41

Another well-executed yorker, outside off, Nicholas Pooran opens the bat face and runs it down to deep third for a single.

14.31

At pace this time, on a fullish length, outside off, Quinton de Kock frees his arms and squeezes it out to deep point for a single.

14.20

Takes pace off this time and keeps the line same, on a length, Quinton de Kock reaches out to put bat to ball but misses out as the ball goes under his bat.

14.10

Starts off well! Goes full and keeps it near the tramline on off, Quinton de Kock lets it go and it is well within the wide guideline.

Runs Scored 8 Runs

Score after 14 overs : 129/3

N Pooran0 (1)

de Kock70 (43)

G Maxwell4-0-23-2

13.60

Bowls it full and on off, Nicholas Pooran presses forward and keeps his bat close to the pad to defend. End of a successful over from Maxwell and he finishes with figures of 4-0-23-2.

Nicholas Pooran is the new batter in.

13.5W

OUT! CAUGHT! Glenn Maxwell fights back as he always does! Keeps it away from the reach of the batter. Bowls it short and quicker, near the tramline on off, Marcus Stoinis reaches out to slap it over the in-field on the off side. Gets it off the bottom half of the bat and it lobs towards point. Mayank Yadav runs to his right and does the rest. End of a breezy cameo by Stoinis.

13.41

Slower and shorter, turning away, around off, Quinton de Kock whips it in front of square on the leg side and rotates the strike.

13.30

Sliding on with the angle, full and on middle, blocked with a straight bat by de Kock.

13.21

Short and on off, Marcus Stoinis punches it with a straight bat to long off and gets to the other end.

13.16

SIX! Glenn Maxwell is not spared either! Maxwell serves it in the arc, on middle and leg, Marcus Stoinis gets his front leg out of the way and slogs it over deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

Runs Scored 19 Runs

Score after 13 overs : 121/2

de Kock69 (41)

M Stoinis17 (12)

C Green2-0-25-0

12.64

FOUR! In the slot and it gets the treatment! Too full from Green, outside off, Quinton de Kock gets underneath it nice and early and lofts it over extra cover for four more runs. 19 runs off the over. 27 runs have come off the last two overs, Lucknow on the charge!

12.51

Lands it on a hard length, on off, Marcus Stoinis rides the bounce well and dabs it in front of point for a quick single.

12.46

SIX! Marcus Stoinis gets into the six-hitting act now! Friendly full toss from Green, on middle, Marcus Stoinis holds his shape and swipes across the line. Hits it over deep mid-wicket for a six.

12.31

PItches it up to the batter again, on middle, Quinton de Kock loses his shape and swats it through mid-wicket for one.

12.26

SIX! Into the stands! Low full toss, at pace, angling away, outside off, Quinton de Kock uses the angle and slices it over the deep cover fence for a maximum.

12.11

Missed out! Green serves a full toss, on off, Marcus Stoinis punches it wide of extra cover for a single.

Runs Scored 12 Runs

Score after 12 overs : 102/2

de Kock58 (38)

M Stoinis9 (9)

M Dagar2-0-23-0

11.66

SIX! BAN! In the slot by Mayank Dagar, outside off, Quinton de Kock goes deep in his crease and thumps it flat and gets it to the left of long off for a flat six.

11.50

Going across the batter, short and outside off, Quinton de Kock lets it go.

11.44

FOUR! Hit with real authority and that brings up FIFTY for Quinton de Kock! Full and slanting away, on off, Quinton de Kock backs away and smacks it between the bowler and the non-striker and picks up a boundary. de Kock has slowed down a bit after getting off the blocks quickly and having completed the fifty, he will look to change gears now.

11.31

Sliding on the pads, short in length, Marcus Stoinis tucks it wide of short fine leg for one.

11.20

Darts this one back in, on a nagging length, on middle and leg, Marcus Stoinis pushes it with a straight bat back to the bowler.

11.11

'Catch it' is the call but it lands safely! Floats it up and bowls it full and outside off, Quinton de Kock gives himself room to go straight. Slices it in the air and it falls short of the long off fielder. They cross.

Runs Scored 6 Runs

Score after 11 overs : 90/2

de Kock47 (34)

M Stoinis8 (7)

C Green1-0-6-0

10.61

Good comeback by Green after being hit for a boundary on the first ball. Just the 6 runs off it. Sliding across the left-hander, full as well, Quinton de Kock drills it to the right of mid off where the fielder tumbles to that side and keeps it to one.

10.50

And again! On a length, outside off, there to be hit, Quinton de Kock clears his front leg to go over mid off this time but connects with thin air.

10.40

Angling away from the batter and keeps it full, outside off, Quinton de Kock shapes up to force it through the off side but misses out.

10.31

Fuller in length, outside off, Marcus Stoinis goes deep in his crease and walks across to whip it towards deep backward square leg. Mohammed Siraj sprints across to his right and cuts it off. A single taken.

10.20

Lands it on a good length, a bit of extra bounce, on off, Marcus Stoinis stays leg side of the ball and keeps it out on the off side.

10.14

FOUR! Marcus Stoinis welcomes his fellow Aussie with a boundary! Green drifts on the pads, on a fullish length, Marcus Stoinis flicks it off his toes wide of fine leg for a boundary.

Runs Scored 11 Runs

Score after 10 overs : 84/2

M Stoinis3 (4)

de Kock46 (31)

M Dagar1-0-11-0

9.61

If not for the five wides this could've been a good start for Mayank Dagar. A single to end the over. 11 runs comes from it. Benguluru surely could not pile the pressure on after taking that wicket. Full one, driven towards mid off for a run.

9.51

Quicker and fuller, down the leg side. Quinton de Kock clips it to deep mid-wicket for one.

9.41

On the pads, flicked into mid-wicket for one more.

9.31

Shorter, outside off. Quinton de Kock cuts it towards point. Dinesh Karthik there dives to his left and makes a brilliant stop to keep it down to one.

9.21

Marcus Stoinis gets off the mark with an easy single here. Full one, on off. Marcus Stoinis drives it through the gap at covers.

9.11

Length, outside off, worked into the off side for one.

9.15wd

FIVE WIDES! Free runs. Lucknow won't mind these at all. Mayank Dagar comes 'round the wicket and fires it full, way outside leg. Quinton de Kock tries to sweep it away but does not connect. The ball goes past the keeper as well and heads into the ropes.

Runs Scored 11 Runs

Score after 9 overs : 73/2

M Stoinis0 (1)

de Kock43 (28)

M Siraj2-0-24-1

8.60

Good length, outside off, shaping back into the right-hander. Marcus Stoinis defends it back to the bowler with a straight bat. 10 runs and a wicket from this over.

8.5W

OUT! CAUGHT! Three wides and a wicket. A dream comeback for Siraj in this over. It is a good-length delivery, on top of off. Devdutt Padikkal stands tall and pulls the trigger. He looks to pull it away but skies it high in the air off the top-edge. It goes towards short third region. Anuj Rawat hares after it and takes a wonderful catch to put some pressure on Lucknow.

Marcus Stoinis is the new man in.

8.51wd

WIDE! Someone has managed to get inside Siraj's head. A slower bumper this time, angling away from the left-hander outside off. Seems to be high and the umpire does not hesitate to signal it as a wide.

8.51wd

WIDE! Mohammed Siraj errs in his line once again. A low full toss, going down the leg side. Devdutt Padikkal gets out of the way in the end for the umpire to deem it as another wide.

8.51wd

WIDE! A sharp bumper this time by Mohammed Siraj. Devdutt Padikkal leaves it alone. The square leg umpire signals a wide for height.

8.41

Quinton de Kock hangs back to this short ball and cuts it to deep point for one.

8.36

SIX! BANG! He connects this time and gets the result he was hoping for. Back of a length, outside off. Quinton de Kock stands tall and smokes it over the long on fence for a biggie.

8.20

Mohammed Siraj bangs it in short, outside off. This one gets that extra bite off the surface as well. Quinton de Kock thinks about freeing his arms, extends his arms but fails to connect.

8.11

Short, on the leg stump line. Devdutt Padikkal clips it into mid-wicket for a single. Bengaluru have done well to squeeze the run flow.

Strategic break! Bengaluru have pulled it back after the initial onslaught from Lucknow. The worrying thing for them is that Glenn Maxwell has only 1 over remaining and the rest of the bowlers will have to take it upon themselves to keep the runs in check. As for Lucknow, Quinton de Kock got them off to a filer but they have slowed up a bit since the departure of KL Rahul. Padikkal will look to hold the innings together and de Kock will aim to play the aggressor role as they try to up the ante. Siraj (1-0-13-0) comes back into the attack.

Runs Scored 3 Runs

Score after 8 overs : 62/1

de Kock36 (25)

D Padikkal5 (9)

G Maxwell3-0-15-1

7.60

A huge shout for LBW! Glenn Maxwell seems to be interested but the umpire doesn't. It is a quicker one, angled into the pads. Quinton de Kock looks to defend it out but the ball eventually goes on to crash into the pads. Glenn Maxwell though was unable to convince the skipper. Was there an inside edge? Or was it sliding down leg? Anyways, looked pretty close. The replays confirm that the ball was missing the stumps.

7.50

Flatter, around off. Quinton de Kock defends it to point from inside the crease.

7.41

Darted on the pads, tucked to square leg off the back foot for one.

7.30

Quicker and fuller, on leg. Devdutt Padikkal clears his front leg and tries to slog it away but fails to time it well.

7.21

Another single now as Quinton de Kock flicks this short ball into mid-wicket from outside off.

7.11

An arm ball, full and on middle. Devdutt Padikkal drives it towards mid off and crosses.

Runs Scored 5 Runs

Score after 7 overs : 59/1

D Padikkal3 (6)

de Kock35 (22)

R Topley2-0-17-0

6.61

Slower ball, short and outside off. Devdutt Padikkal stays back and dabs it to backward point for a quick single. Just 5 runs come from the over.

6.50

Peach of a delivery from Reece Topley. On a good length, in the channel as well. Gets it to shape away a bit. Devdutt Padikkal looks to defend it out but keeps his bat close to the body in the end.

6.41

Short ball, on middle and leg. Quinton de Kock pulls it to deep square leg for one.

6.30

Length ball, outside off. Quinton de Kock looks to chase it but misses.

6.22

Oh dear! Glenn Maxwell runs backwards, does all the hard work but fails to grab the ball. It is a fuller one, outside off. Quinton de Kock mistimes his shot over mid off. Fortunately he gets enough distance on it to evade the fielder. Two runs taken.

6.11

Reece Topley serves a good-length delivery, outside off. Devdutt Padikkal stabs it towards backward point for one.

Reece Topley (1-0-12-0) returns to the attack.

Runs Scored 8 Runs

Score after 6 overs : 54/1

D Padikkal1 (3)

de Kock32 (19)

G Maxwell2-0-12-1

5.61

IN THE AIR! Devdutt Padikkal almost finds the fielder at deep square leg. It is on a length, around middle and leg. Devdutt Padikkal heaves it across the line. It lands safely though. The batters take a single. A wicket-taking over from Maxwell comes to an end.

5.50

Shorter, outside off. Devdutt Padikkal dabs it to point.

5.40

Slower through the air, around middle and leg. Devdutt Padikkal dabs it softly to covers but for none.

Devdutt Padikkal walks in at number 3.

5.3W

OUT! CAUGHT! KL Rahul tries to continue with his aggression but has to walk back to the dressing room this time. It is short, on top of off. KL Rahul hangs back and tries to heave it across the line. Although, the ball goes high in the air off the outside edge. Mayank Dagar at covers takes a simple catch to bring smiles across the fans in the stadium, who were eagerly waiting for this wicket.

5.26

SIX! Just over the fielder. A valiant effort from Rajat Patidar in the deep, but the ball manages to land beyond the ropes. It is a bit short, on leg. KL Rahul sets himself up nicely and pulls it to deep square leg. Rajat Patidar there leaps to his right but unable to get a hold of it.

5.11

An arm ball, full and on middle. Quinton de Kock stays back and clips it into the leg side for one.

Runs Scored 10 Runs

Score after 5 overs : 46/0

Rahul14 (12)

de Kock31 (18)

Y Dayal2-0-17-0

4.62

Good-length delivery, on off, KL Rahul tries to go straight again but does not get the desired connection. Gets enough bat on it to clear mid off. Glenn Maxwell gives it a chase and relays the ball back to Faf du Plessis. Two runs taken.

4.56

SIX! Launched down the ground! Dayal comes from around the wicket and gets his line wrong. Too full and slanting in, on off, KL Rahul swings cleanly and thumps it back over the bowler's head for a maximum.

4.41

Goes into the wicket and lands it on a short of a length, on off, Quinton de Kock hops to pull but gets this one off the toe-end of the bat and it rolls in front of backward point for a single.

4.30

Swing and a miss! A hint of away movement, fuller in length, near the wide tramline on off, Quinton de Kock throws the kitchen sink at it but connects with thin air.

4.20

Takes pace off and delivers it on a good length, Quinton de Kock premeditates and goes for the paddle sweep but the line is not there and gets undone by the slowness of the delivery as the ball goes under the bat.

4.11

Dayal pitches it up to the batter, on off, KL Rahul pushes it with a straight bat to the right of mid off. Faf du Plessis dives to that side and keeps it down to just a single.

Change. Yash Dayal comes back into the attack now.

Runs Scored 4 Runs

Score after 4 overs : 36/0

de Kock30 (15)

Rahul5 (9)

G Maxwell1-0-4-0

3.60

At 97.8 kph, short and slanting in, on middle, Quinton de Kock stabs it down on the leg side from the crease. A tidy first over from Maxwell, just the 4 runs off it.

3.51

Short and on middle, KL Rahul rocks back and wrists it through square leg for a single.

3.40

Slows it up and serves it on a nagging length, on middle and leg, KL Rahul uses his feet to clip it off his pads but miscues it towards cover.

3.30

Sees the batter make room and follows him, on a nagging length, KL Rahul can only punch this one to cover.

3.21

Darts this one in, full and on middle from around the wicket. Quinton de Kock presses forward and pats it wide of cover for a single.

3.11

Flat and quick, at the stumps, pushed in front of long on for a single by KL Rahul.

3.11wd

WIDE! Drops it short but the turn takes the ball down leg, KL Rahul lets it go for a wide.

Runs Scored 13 Runs

Score after 3 overs : 32/0

de Kock29 (13)

Rahul3 (5)

M Siraj1-0-13-0

2.60

Good ball to close out the over! Siraj nails the yorker, on off, Quinton de Kock gets his bat down and digs it out back to the bowler.

Two sixes in a row, and the crowd has gone silent. Not an easy thing to do in Bengaluru.

2.56

SIX MORE! Back-to-back maximums from Quinton de Kock! On a length, at the stumps, Quinton de Kock clears his front leg quickly and swats it across the line. Hits it more square this time and clears the square leg fence for six more runs.

2.46

SIX! Picked up beautifully! Siraj hurls it fuller in length but the line is a bit too straight, on leg, Quinton de Kock walks across a bit and helps it into the stands towards fine leg for a maximum.

2.30

That could have gone anywhere! Going across the left-hander, on a good length, on middle and leg, Quinton de Kock looks to work it across the line but closes the bat face early. Gets a leading edge that lobs to the right of the bowler and lands safely.

2.21

Pulls his length back a bit and bowls it around off, KL Rahul punches it square to deep point for one.

2.10

Beats the bat straight away! Siraj comes into the attack and goes full in search of swing, outside off, KL Rahul goes chasing the delivery as the ball swings away to beat the bat.

Runs Scored 7 Runs

Score after 2 overs : 19/0

Rahul2 (3)

de Kock17 (9)

Y Dayal1-0-7-0

1.61

Slanting into the batter, on a back of a length, KL Rahul gets inside the line and glances it off his pads to fine leg for one more run.

1.51

Lands it on a back of a length, outside off, Quinton de Kock gets on top of the bounce and punches it towards backward point where the fielder dives to his left and makes a half-stop. Mohammed Siraj in the deep runs around and cuts it off. A single taken.

1.40

Good length, outside off. Quinton de Kock leaves it alone for the keeper.

1.34

FOUR! Quinton de Kock is on a roll. Very full, wide of off. Quinton de Kock reaches out and crunches it past backward point for a cracking boundary.

1.21

A length ball, straighter on the pads. KL Rahul flicks it to deep square leg and gets off the mark with one.

1.10

Pitched up, full and outside off. KL Rahul leans in and drives it crisply into covers. The fielder there dives to his right and makes a sharp stop.

Who will bowl from the other end? It is going to Yash Dayal.

Runs Scored 12 Runs

Score after 1 overs : 12/0

de Kock12 (6)

Rahul0 (0)

R Topley1-0-12-0

0.64

FOUR! Two in two! 12 runs off the over! Width on offer by Topley, short in length, Quinton de Kock does not miss out as he frees his arms and slaps it wide of deep backward point for the third boundary of the over.

0.54

FOUR! Up and over! Overpitched by Topley, on off, Quinton de Kock gets underneath it nicely and lofts it up and over cover for a boundary.

0.40

Short of a length, outside off, Quinton de Kock shapes up to drag the pull on the leg side but misses out as the ball zips over the bat.

0.34

TOP EDGE AND IT GOES FOR FOUR! Fortuitous boundary for Quinton de Kock! Topley bangs it into the deck, at the body of the batter, Quinton de Kock takes his eyes off the ball and gets rushed as he looks to pull it away. Fails to control the bounce and gets a top edge that goes over the keeper for the first boundary of the night. It almost went the distance for a maximum.

0.20

Beaten! On a length and shaping away, outside off, Quinton de Kock goes for the drive away from the body and gets beaten on the outside edge.

0.10

Topley starts from over the wicket and goes wide of the crease, on a good length, on off, Quinton de Kock presses forward and blocks it out on the off side.

The match is set to begin. The two openers in KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock walk out to open for Lucknow. Bengaluru players soon take the field. It is going to be Reece Topley to start with the ball in hand. Here we go...

The captain of Lucknow, KL Rahul says that it is a bit different walking into the away dressing room instead of the home dressing room. Mentions that his team has shown character in both games and everyone is chipping in, which gives them a lot of confidence. Adds that they want to continue playing a good brand of cricket and carry forward the momentum. Feels that some guys have gotten better with their skills since the first season and the combination is coming together well as a team. States that everyone was talking about Mayank Yadav rather than their win, which is a good thing for the pacer's future. Says that it was unfortunate that they could not play in the past couple of seasons due to injury. Informs that Mohsin Khan has a sore back and he is replaced by Yash Thakur.

Faf du Plessis, the captain of Bengaluru is in for a chat. He says that they will bowl first. Mentions that the deck is still patchy, a similar wicket from the first game that was played here. Adds that they have some good conversations about how to approach the game tactically. States that they keep learning from their mistakes. Informs that they believe this is a chasing ground. Ends by saying that there is one change to the side as Reece Topley comes in for Alzarri Joseph.

Impact players nominated by Lucknow - M. Siddharth, Shamar Joseph, Deepak Hooda, Amit Mishra and Krishnappa Gowtham.

Lucknow (Playing XI) - KL Rahul (C), Quinton de Kock (WK), Devdutt Padikkal, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur (In for Mohsin Khan), Naveen-ul-Haq, Mayank Yadav.

Impact players nominated by Bengaluru - Suyash Prabhudessai, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Vijaykumar Vyshak and Swapnil Singh.

Bengaluru (Playing XI) - Faf du Plessis (C), Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat (WK), Reece Topley (In for Alzarri Joseph), Mayank Dagar, Mohammed Siraj, Yash Dayal.

TOSS - Faf du Plessis and KL Rahul are out in the middle. Bengaluru have won the toss and they have opted to BOWL first.

On the other hand, Lucknow find themselves placed 6th with a win from two matches. They have momentum with them and will be looking to win their second game on the bounce. In what will be a homecoming for KL Rahul, there are concerns over the availability of the Lucknow skipper, and we might see him feature as the Impact Player again. Other than him, the onus will be on Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran, and Marcus Stoinis in the batting department. All eyes will be on pace sensation Mayank Yadav, who will be hoping to replicate his heroics from his debut outing. On the spin bowling front, Ravi Bishnoi and Krunal Pandya will hunt in pairs, with the latter also expected to contribute with the bat. Who are you backing to come out on top? Stay tuned, as the toss and team news is coming up in a bit.

Bengaluru are currently placed second-from-bottom with a solitary win from their first three games. Faf du Plessis and his men have not quite gotten their act together yet and will be determined to return to winning ways. Virat Kohli has turned up with the bat in the past two games, but no support for him has been a cause for concern. Faf du Plessis has tapered off after his breezy cameo on the opening night, while Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, and Rajat Patidar are yet to come to the party. With the ball, they will have to put in a much better shift than what they did against Kolkata. As they strive to bounce back, the responsibility will fall on Mohammed Siraj, Yash Dayal, and Vijaykumar Vyshak but the bigger issue is the underperforming spin bowling unit. 

Hello and a warm welcome, folks! Match number 15 is upon us, and we are at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where Bengaluru will square off against Lucknow. We are yet to see 200 being breached at this venue this season, but the games so far have been entertaining with a lot of fours and sixes, and this encounter promises to be no exception. Adding a layer of intrigue, tensions have simmered from previous encounters between these two teams last season, and expect more of the same here.

... MATCH DAY ...

The 2024 Indian T20 League is in full swing, with Bengaluru set to clash against Lucknow at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in match number 15. Bengaluru has experienced a mixed start to the season, winning just one of their three games. Conversely, Lucknow began with a loss but bounced back with a victory against Punjab. It has been the same old bowling woes that have led to this start for Bengaluru. Whether it was the season opener against Chennai or the previous outing against Kolkata, the Bengaluru pacers could not have the desired impact, and they are lacking a wicket-taking option in the spin department. Brought in as the Impact Player, Vijaykumar Vyshak was the shining light for them in what was otherwise a forgettable night with the ball against Kolkata. Yash Dayal had an expensive outing, as did Mohammed Siraj and Alzarri Joseph. Reece Topley, Lockie Ferguson, and Tom Curran are the other overseas bowling options Bengaluru have in their ranks. On the batting front, it has been Virat Kohli who has done the bulk of the scoring. Dinesh Karthik has come through for them to give them the finishing kick. Support from the likes of Faf du Plessis, Cameron Green, and Glenn Maxwell is yet to materialise, placing pressure on them to deliver quickly. On the flip side, Lucknow enter the contest with confidence following a come-from-behind victory in their previous match. The debutant, Mayank Yadav, wreaked havoc, rushing the batters for pace and starting the turnaround for Lucknow. Mohsin Khan and the spin duo of Krunal Pandya and Ravi Bishnoi also contributed to the team's success. However, Naveen-ul-Haq's expensive spells remain a concern for Lucknow, prompting the need for improvement. Until Matt Henry joins the squad, Shamar Joseph is the only out-and-out overseas seam bowling option on the bench for Lucknow. KL Rahul is likely to feature as the Impact Player for Luckow again as the franchise aim to ease their skipper back into action following a lengthy injury layoff. Nicholas Pooran and Krunal Pandya played breezy cameos, while Quinton de Kock got a fifty at the top of the order in the last game. Marcus Stoinis has not quite had the impact with the bat he is known for, and the Lucknow fans will be hoping that he steps up soon. Bengaluru hold the edge over Lucknow, having won three of the four meetings that have taken place between these two sides. Will Faf du Plessis' brigade extend their dominance? Or will it be Lucknow to come out on top? We shall find out.