END OF OVER:20 | 4 Runs 4 Wkts | LSG: 128/7 (8 runs required, RR: 6.40)
- Ravi Bishnoi0 (1b)
- Prerak Mankad0 (0b)
- Mohit Sharma3-0-17-2
- Mohammed Shami3-1-18-0
7.40pm That's that then. In the words of KL Rahul, "We don't know what happened." I am sure the teams will figure it out. It is not the end for them. LSG still in the top half of the table but they have played one extra match. Thanks for joining us. See you tomorrow.
7.36pm Mohit Sharma is the PotM. He says, and this is not verbatim: Nothing special, it is all normal. Consistency and experience is there, but it is all process. That's the speciality of this team: whether you do well or do badly, you go back and follow the same process. We never lost the belief. Hardik kept telling us from ball one that we are winning the match. Just keep doing your job. That belief was always there, that is special. I was only focusing on executing my plan. I tried to be clear in my head. Whether I am bowling the slower bouncer or the yorker, the batter shouldn't be able to predict.
7.32pm Hardik Pandya says, and this is not verbatim: After the two games we lost, this seems like god is telling us I am not always going to take from you, I will give to you too. The way the environment changed when we got wickets, the belief we had, was wonderful to watch. In a tournament like this, one loss can break you, but such a win can do the opposite. At best, we could have got 10 more. That's how the wicket was. During the strategic timeout, we spoke about the set batter batting longer because the new batter was going to find it difficult. When there was 30 required off 30, I felt they were ahead. We started sniffing something when it came down to 27 off 4 overs. A run a ball off 10 overs is different, but when it comes down to 24 off 24, you know a mistake can cost you the game. That's when the game changes. The amount of cricket Mo has played, I didn't need to tell him anything. The calmness, planning and execution he showed, it was tremendous. At the same time, Shami showed his experience. Mohit and Shami were tremendous. Special mention to Jayant as well, playing after such a long time. Obviously Noor, that guy has some talent.
7.25pm In the end, KL Rahul took it deep and laid it all on the on -pace over from Mohammed Shami. He missed two leg-side balls there. They back themselves to hit those for sixes all the time. It wasn't to be. But the question is: should the set batter take it all on himself or should he try to finish it quickly and if he gets out early, the new batter gets time to get his eye in?
7.20pm KL Rahul is at a loss for words. He says, and this is not verbatim: I don't know how it has happened. It happened too fast. I can't put a finger on where we let the game slip, which was in our pocket. We were quite brilliant with the ball and in the field. 135 is probably par or 10 under par. We used the conditions well. We started pretty well with the bat too. I still can't say what happened. At the end of the day it is just a game, we still have four wins in seven, but this is going to sting for a while. We were well ahead in the game, I wasn't trying to bat really deep, I was still trying to take the bowlers on that I fancy. They bowled three good overs between Noor and Jayant. Probably should have taken a couple more chances. Not an easy wicket for new batters to come in. Set batters need to finish the game. We missed some boundary opportunities in the end. We should have got it done.
7.13pm Wow. Conditions are king. It all looked sealed and done. When the last boundary was hit, LSG needed 39 off 45 with nine wickets in hand. GT even dropped two catches. Still the defensive bowling on a slow pitch was superb. KL Rahul kept putting off the risks until the 19th over when he got pace on the ball. Wickets fell on the other end because the strategy seemed to be for others to go after the bowling. In the end, Mohit Sharma and Mohammed Shami bowled superbly in the last three. Forty-five balls without a boundary. Heartbreak, desperate heartbreak for KL Rahul. Ecstasy for GT
What a defence it has been from GT. The last boundary came in the 13th over. Bishnoi to face
DJ Hooda run out 2 (4m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 100.00
Now they need two boundaries. Two fours for a tie, a six and a four for a win. LSG will be stunned with what has happened. They needed 56 off the last 10. Prerak Mankad on the non-striker's where a Mankad might be in play
A Badoni run out 8 (22m 6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 133.33
Deepak Hooda to face the hat-trick ball
MP Stoinis c Miller b Sharma 0 (2m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
LSG looking for their first boundary since the 13th over. Here is Marcus Stoiunis
KL Rahul c Yadav b Sharma 68 (94m 61b 8x4 0x6) SR: 111.47
Mohit Sharma to bowl the last over. KL Rahul, 16 off the last 21, needs to find a boundary
END OF OVER:19 | 5 Runs | LSG: 124/3 (12 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 6.52, RRR: 12.00)
- KL Rahul66 (59b)
- Ayush Badoni8 (6b)
- Mohammed Shami3-1-18-0
- Mohit Sharma2-0-13-0
Twelve required off the last ball. The set batter is struggling to get bat to ball. That should be a counter to the theory that you need set batters on slow pitches
Nehra has sent a message through Pandya to Shami. Can he close out this wonderful over?
Fine leg comes up. Rahul yet to lay bat on ball this over. He has scored 14 off the last 19 balls he has faced. Both third and short fine up. Slower ball coming up?
No slower ball from Shami so far
Only two boundaries since the 10th over
Shami it is. Pandya trusting his specialist bowler. I am not sure this is the best move, but hey, if they goo too hard they could lose a wicket
END OF OVER:18 | 6 Runs | LSG: 119/3 (17 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 6.61, RRR: 8.50)
- KL Rahul64 (55b)
- Ayush Badoni6 (4b)
- Mohit Sharma2-0-13-0
- Noor Ahmad4-0-18-2
Now it's 17 off the last two. Will Hardik bowl himself or go to Shami? If Shami bowls, it will be the make-or-break over. His pace could travel, but LSG could lose a wicket if they go too hard
Long-on, deep midwicket, deep square. Slower short ball again?
It's Mohit now
END OF OVER:17 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | LSG: 113/3 (23 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 6.64, RRR: 7.66)
- Ayush Badoni3 (1b)
- KL Rahul61 (52b)
- Noor Ahmad4-0-18-2
- Jayant Yadav4-0-26-0
23 off 3. Shami has two, and Pandya and Mohit have three each. I wouldn't go Shami here. I would want Mohit and Hardik to bowl off-pace deliveries
Ayush Badoni is in. No slip in place
26 off 19 with new batters finding it hard to time the ball. It is on KL Rahul now to see LSG through
N Pooran c Pandya b Noor Ahmad 1 (10m 7b 0x4 0x6) SR: 14.28