Rajasthan Royals clinched a comprehensive 40-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL clash at the Ekana Stadium on Wednesday, setting 159 and then skittling LSG for 119.
LSG went down to their fifth defeat in seven games as the top-order crumbled in the chase of 160 with skipper Rishabh Pant, Aiden Markram and Ayush Badoni scalped for duck all-around.
“I think it is difficult to explain. Our batting is definitely letting us down, but we are disappointed as a team, as a group. But at the same time, you’ve got to keep finding ways. You have to look for answers inside, not outside, but that’s how it is as of now,” he said.
“We could have taken some time while batting, not making any excuse out there, including myself in that, we could have taken it
a little deeper because I think the bowlers did a fantastic job, especially after the last game.”
“As a batting group, we need to put our hand up and try to finish that job for the bowlers also,” the wicketkeeper-batter added.
“There is still a lot we want to look at the positive side, you know,” Pant said.
LSG pacers ripped through the RR top order, with Mohammed Shami and Mohsin Khan bowling with real venom. Wickets kept tumbling as LSG’s change-up bowlers focused on squeezing the run flow and inducing errors from the visitors. Ravindra Jadeja’s late onslaught rescued the innings, as RR added 52 runs in the final five overs to reach a respectable 159/6.
However, LSG were immediately put under pressure as their top order collapsed with Badoni, Pant and Markram all falling without scoring, with RR dominating in the field. Nicholas Pooran and Mitch Marsh then tried to revive the chase with composed knocks.
Jadeja dismissed Pooran for 22 off 25, and Ravi Bishnoi bowled Himmat Singh for a run-a-ball 15. Marsh battled on for a lone half-century, but Burger removed the Australian on 55, with skipper Parag taking the catch.
Brijesh Sharma then accounted for Mukul Choudhary and Mohammed Shami for 7 and 6 respectively, before Archer wrapped up his three-for by dismissing Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan, sealing RR’s 40-run win.
“We all know it’s disappointing for us as a team, but you know, we have to keep our head high and look for answers inside and we surely know that we have enough firepower in our bowling and batting and we can still turn it around. That’s what I believe in,” he added.
