Lucknow Super Giants opener Quinton de Kock reckons Evin Lewis’s one-handed blinder to dismiss Rinku Singh in the final over turned things around for them after they defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by two runs at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai on Wednesday.
KKR needed 21 runs in the final over to chase down 211 runs and LSG looked all but certain to take the crucial two points. However, Rinku Singh scored 16 runs off the first three balls by hitting one four and two sixes. The left-hander then took a double to get the equation to three runs off the last two balls and it was KKR’s game from that situation.
But Rinku Singh was dismissed after Evin Lewis plucked a brilliant one-handed catch. Had Lewis not taken that catch, Rinku Singh and Sunil Narine could have taken a double and the scores would have tied in that situation. Subsequently, Marcus Stoinis was able to nail the yorker to dismiss Umesh Yadav on the final ball and win the thriller for his team.
Earlier in the match, Quinton de Kock scored a magnum opus knock of 140 runs off just 70 balls whereas KL Rahul scored 68 runs from 51 balls to help LSG post a massive score of 210 runs.
Quinton de Kock was awarded the Player of the Match for his superb knock. He said after the game, “I was a little bit cooked (after his innings) but it was a matter of getting some refreshments and getting on with it I guess. It was a bit of frustration that came out (on his aggressive century celebrations). Felt really good to come out and do well. Was trying to keep it in, but when it came out, felt good. To be honest, not really (whether he thought the game would get so close). Obviously, they played really well, assessed conditions well and came hard at us. I thought he (Stoinis) would defend it easily. But when the first three went, I thought the game was done for us. But that catch turned things for us. As they say, good catches win matches.”
On the other hand, Marcus Stoinis was relieved after defending 21 runs in the final over. Stoinis also gave credit to Evin Lewis for the match-changing catch.
Stoinis said after the game, “Initially, my feeling was I should’ve bowled through the middle. At the start of the over you play a bit to the conditions, a bit to the long boundary, a bit to what the batter wants to do. As things get worse, you go towards what you like to bowl and what works for you. That’s a learning for me. Feel more comfortable going for the straighter yorker. We’re always aiming at something – at the feet of the batters, at the stumps, at the cones in practice. We’re giving him Man of the Match (Lewis for the catch). The conference happens which is good, everyone wants to have an input. But you have to bowl what you believe is your best ball.”
LSG has now qualified for the playoff stages with this thrilling win.
