Pacer Avesh Khan held his nerve in the death overs to help Lucknow Super Giants pull off a thrilling two-run win over Rajasthan Royals with a tight three-wicket spell in their IPL match here on Saturday.
The Royals were cruising at 156 for 2 at the end of the 17th over, needing 25 runs from three overs with eight wickets in hand. But Khan conceded five runs in the 18th over and took two wickets — Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal — before defending nine runs off the final over to finish with a match-winning 3/37.
In a tense final over, Khan dismissed Shimron Hetmyer (12) and conceded just six runs to hand LSG a memorable victory, as RR ended at 178 for 5 in 20 overs while chasing 181 for a win.
It was heartbreak for the Royals, who lost from a dominant position to slump to their fourth straight loss — and sixth defeat in eight matches.
In the run chase, Jaiswal (74 off 52 balls) continued his roaring form with an entertaining fifty, while 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi (34 off 20 balls), IPL's youngest-ever player, made an instant impact on debut. The left-handed opening duo stitched 85 runs in 8.4 overs in a rollicking partnership.
Jaiswal anchored the innings, hitting five fours and four sixes during his knock.
The Royals' run chase began in spectacular fashion with Suryavanshi coming out as an impact substitute, along with Jaiswal, as the Sawai Mansingh Stadium cheered him all through.
All of 14 years and 23 days, Suryavanshi struck a six off the first delivery of his IPL career, hoisting Shardul Thakur over the extra-cover boundary to join an exclusive 10-member club.
He meted out the same punishment to Khan in the next over in a sensational start to his career.
Suryavanshi was, however, dropped on 14 by Ravi Bishnoi.
The other opener Jaiswal, who is nine years older than Suryavanshi, then took over, hitting Shardul for a six and a four and two maximums off Aiden Markram. Another six from Jaiswal, who was on fire, took the Royals to 61 for no loss at the end of the powerplay.
They were cruising at 10 runs an over before Suryavanshi's entertaining innings of 34 off 20 balls came to an end.
The youngster was beaten by a slower delivery from Markram, and Rishabh Pant affected a sharp stumping. Suryavanshi took the referral but was unsuccessful. He left the pitch distraught, though he had made a big impact on debut.
Nitish Rana, who scored a half-century in RR's previous match, did not last long as he got out in the last ball of the 10th over for eight runs off seven balls.
The Royals were well-placed at 94 for 2 at the halfway stage with a well-set Jaiswal.
RR needed just 25 runs from the final three overs, but Khan turned the match on its head in a magical 18th over.
He yorked Jaiswal with the first ball, and then trapped Parag LBW with a similar delivery off the last one.
Earlier, Markram and Ayush Badoni struck half-centuries to help LSG recover from an initial batting slump and post a competitive 180 for 5.
Markram (66 off 45 balls) and Badoni (50 off 34 balls) stitched a crucial 76-run stand for the fourth wicket to resurrect the LSG innings after they were reduced to 54 for 3 in the eighth over.
Captain Rishabh Pant's decision to bat first after winning the toss looked to be backfiring, but Markram and Badoni rescued the visiting side with some solid batting.
Abdul Samad then played a cameo of 30 not out off just 10 balls down the order, hitting six fours off the final over bowled by Sandeep Sharma.
For the Royals, Wanindu Hasaranga (2/31) was the most successful bowler, while Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, and Sandeep Sharma took one wicket apiece.
Archer conceded two fours to Markram in the first over but came back to dismiss in-form opener Mitchell Marsh (4) in his second over, with Shimron Hetmyer taking a fine catch after the batter edged the ball.
Markram was going strong at the other end, but wickets fell around him, with Sandeep getting rid of Nicholas Pooran (11), the leading run-scorer, leg-before after the batter committed far too early to a slower delivery.
LSG were 46 for 2 after the powerplay and in a spot of bother in the eighth over with Pant falling cheaply for just three runs, following his fine 63 against Chennai Super Kings. Before that, his highest score was 21.
Pant miscued a Hasaranga delivery that bounced a bit more than expected and wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel did the rest.
With Markram smashing two consecutive sixes in the 10th over, LSG were 76 for 3 at the halfway mark.
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