IPL 2023 edged one step closer to a dream MI-CSK final as Akash Madhwal’s stunning five-fer in the Eliminator helped Mumbai Indians brush aside Lucknow Super Giants at Chepauk on Wednesday. Chasing a stiff 183, LSG collapsed in dramatic fashion to get bowled out for just 101 as they lost their last eight wickets for just 32 runs. In the process, Madhwal broke into the record books by registering the best figures in IPL playoffs history and the fifth-best overall.
Both teams made very similar starts in the powerplay. Ishan Kishan got going with three boundaries for Mumbai Indians and Kyle Mayers fetched a couple of boundaries in the first over of the chase. But MI lost Rohit Sharma and Ishan in quick succession whereas LSG were crippled by the wickets of Kyle Mayers and Prerak Mankad. But Cameron Green launched a stunning counterattack to shift the pressure back onto the bowling side very quickly and raced to 23 off just 9 balls to help MI post 62 in the powerplay. Similarly for LSG, Marcus Stoinis stepped up after the early losses and took on Hrithik Shokeen in particular to help his side knock off 54 in the powerplay.
They stepped on the accelerator and put LSG under immense pressure. Suryakumar Yadav and Green hit Mohsin Khan for a six each and kept the runs coming to take MI to 98 at the halfway stage. The partnership put MI firmly in control of the contest as they looked good to get closer to 200, a total that always sounds daunting in this part of the world. But the game turned on its head once again as Naveen-ul-Haq removed both the set batters in the space of three deliveries. Using the surface to his advantage. Naveen bowled two well disguised …read more
Source:: The Island
