Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) won by 33 runs against the Gujarat Titans (GT) in their TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow. With this win, LSG have registered their first ever success against GT in the IPL history. Previously, these teams had played each other four times across the 2022 and 2023 seasons, with GT emerging victorious in all the games. 

With GT at 47 for no loss in five overs while chasing 164, LSG had their task cut out. Openers Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan had batted through the powerplay confidently. Sai Sudharsan, in particular, was in good touch as he raced away to 31. The opening partnership went past 50 and looked set to put GT on course for another win over LSG. That is when the hosts struck back. 

B.E.A.U.T.Y 😍

Yash Thakur breaches Shubman Gill's defence with a superb delivery👌👌#GT 54/1 in 6 overs

Watch the match LIVE on @starsportsindia and @JioCinema 💻📱#TATAIPL | #LSGvGT pic.twitter.com/qY8lwrHR4R

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 7, 2024

It started with Gill being bowled by Yash Thakur in the sixth over. Kane Williamson came in as an Impact Player, in place of Mohit Sharma. LSG’s spinners then helped put the pressure on GT. Following a few dot balls, Ravi Bishnoi induced an uppish shot by Williamson and he took a brilliant return catch in his follow through in the eighth over.

𝗦𝗧𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥 😲

Flying Bishoni ✈️

Ravi Bishnoi pulls off a stunning one-handed screamer to dismiss Kane Williamson 👏👏

Watch the match LIVE on @starsportsindia and @JioCinema 💻📱#TATAIPL | #LSGvGT pic.twitter.com/Le5qvauKbf

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 7, 2024

Krunal Pandya dismissed Sai Sudharsan in the next over when the left-hander pulled one to deep square-leg. Soon after, the debutant, BR Sharath, was caught sweeping towards square-leg. GT had collapsed from 54 for no loss to 61 for four. 

Thereafter, the match was dominated by LSG’s bowlers. Pandya finished with great figures of three for 11 in his four overs. However, the standout for LSG was Thakur. The seamer had the added burden of responsibility after Mayank Yadav walked off the field having bowled the solitary over.  

Having dismissed Gill in the powerplay, Thakur returned to diminish any chances of GT’s recovery later in the innings. When he dismissed Vijay Shankar and Rashid Khan in the 15th over, LSG had all but taken control of the game. At that stage, his figures read three for seven in two overs. There was a bit of a fight by Rahul Tewatia (30 off 25), but he had no support from the other end, and the asking rate kept soaring. 

Thakur capped off a successful day for LSG by dismissing Tewatia and Noor Ahmad in the 19th over to record his maiden TATA IPL fifer and sealed LSG’s victory. 

Fabulous 🖐️

The impressive Yash Thakur picks up the first five-wicket haul of #TATAIPL 2024 🔥

What a performance from the #LSG pacer 👌👌

Watch the match LIVE on @starsportsindia and @JioCinema

💻📱#TATAIPL | #LSGvGT pic.twitter.com/HvKvU7tmSP

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 7, 2024

At the half-way mark, most would have felt that GT were the favourites. Keeping in mind what happened in their match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the same venue, LSG won the toss and chose to bat first. GT made a few changes as Sharath replaced Wriddhiman Saha and Spencer Johnson came in place of Azmatullah Omarzai. 

The innings started off with a bang for LSG with Quinton de Kock smashing a six in the first over off Umesh Yadav, picked high over fine-leg. Umesh made a comeback soon after, as he had de Kock caught at deep third-man. In the third over, things got tougher for LSG as Umesh got the outside edge off Devdutt Padikkal, which found its way to first-slip. At 18 for two, LSG needed stability. 

KL Rahul and Marcus Stoinis then pitched in and constructed an important partnership of 73. Both kept rotating the strike and found the occasional boundaries – with Stoinis being the more aggressive out of the two. In the middle overs, GT’s spinners did well to restrict the flow of runs. Noor bowled a parsimonious spell of none for 22 in his four overs. Rashid also contributed with one for 28. 

Crucial late surge! 👌

Nicholas Pooran's massive hits provide acceleration in the slog-overs for #LSG 🙌

Watch the match LIVE on @JioCinema and @StarSportsIndia 💻📱#TATAIPL | #LSGvGT pic.twitter.com/jaV3VebNjZ

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 7, 2024

Stoinis (58 off 43) was the top scorer for LSG. Towards the end, LSG were powered by cameos by Nicholas Pooran (32 not out off 22 balls) and Ayush Badoni (20 off 11). The highlight of that surge towards the end were the three sixes by Pooran, which helped propel LSG over 160. In the end, that proved more than enough for LSG.