Lucknow, May 8: In a nail-biting encounter of IPL 2026, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) triumphed over the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 9 runs on Thursday. The match, held at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, was affected by rain, leading to a revised target of 213 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis rule. RCB managed to score only 203 runs, losing 6 wickets in their 19 overs. This victory marks LSG’s third win of the season.
Due to rain delays, the match was shortened to 19 overs per side. RCB’s innings got off to a shaky start, with Jacob Bethel dismissed for just 4 runs by Mohammed Shami. The highlight of LSG’s bowling was Prince Yadav, who sent Virat Kohli back to the pavilion for a duck after 46 innings.
After losing two wickets for just 9 runs, Devdutt Padikkal and captain Rajat Patidar steadied the innings with a crucial partnership of 95 runs off 53 balls for the third wicket. Padikkal scored 34 runs off 25 balls, while Patidar played a remarkable innings of 61 runs from 31 balls, hitting 3 fours and 6 sixes. Jitesh Sharma continued his disappointing form, managing only 1 run.
Tim David contributed with a quick 40 runs off 17 balls, including 4 fours and 3 sixes. Krunal Pandya remained unbeaten on 28 runs from 16 balls, while Romario Shepherd added 23 runs off 15 balls. However, their efforts were not enough to secure a win for RCB. In the bowling department for LSG, Prince Yadav excelled with figures of 3 wickets for 33 runs in 4 overs, while Shahbaz Ahmed took 2 wickets and Mohammed Shami claimed 1.
Earlier, LSG posted a total of 209 runs, losing 3 wickets in their 20 overs. Mitchell Marsh and Arshin Kulkarni set the tone with a partnership of 95 runs for the first wicket in 9.2 overs. Arshin scored 17 runs before being dismissed. Marsh, anchoring the innings, completed his century off 49 balls, scoring 111 runs from 56 balls with 9 fours and 9 sixes. In the final overs, captain Rishabh Pant contributed an unbeaten 32 runs off 10 balls, hitting 4 fours and 2 sixes. RCB’s bowlers Josh Hazlewood, Krunal Pandya, and Rasikh Salam each took 1 wicket. This defeat marks RCB’s fourth loss of the season.
– SM/