Matthew Hayden, legendary Australia cricketer, and Mike Hesson, former New Zealand coach slammed the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) team for their poor performance in the recent IPL 2024 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on May 8.
After skipper KL Rahul decided to bat, LSG struggled to 165/4. Ayush Badoni (55*) and Nicholas Pooran (47*) combined for 99 runs off 52 balls to make this possible. The LSG top-order did not get started at all. They were 57/3 when KL Rahul (29 off 33 balls) holed out in fine leg off Pat Cummins’ bowling with the penultimate delivery of the tenth over.
Around that time, Hayden “called out” the lack of intent among LSG batters.
Matthew Hayden lashes out at LSG batsmen
“I have to call them out. This is not a 5 runs per over wicket. Somebody needed to show intent. They had one of the slowest powerplays. That took the innings nowhere. When the opposition team has Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, your intention should be to go at 10s and over. 160-170 will never be enough,” Hayden said on commentary.
The way LSG batted, many believed the pitch was extremely slow and it was difficult to bat on. However, SRH in their chase of 166, dismissed those notions in the way they batted.
Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma hammered the LSG bowlers to all parts of the Hyderabad ground as they chased down the total in 9.4 overs or 62 balls to spare. Head made 89* in 30 balls, while, Abhishek made 75* in 28 balls.
‘LSG are out of IPL’: Mike Hesson
The victory catapulted SRH to third place in the standings with 14 points from 12 games, while LSG is suffering in sixth place with 12 points from the same amount of matches.
The outcome also meant that five-time winners Mumbai Indians, who are currently eighth with eight points from 12 games, were eliminated from the playoff competition.
While LSG still has a chance to make the playoffs if they win their next two league games, former RCB coach Mike Hesson believes their season is nearly over.
“I think yes. With Mayank Yadav missing, they don’t really have that X-factor in their bowling. Even Mohsin Khan didn’t play today. Ravo Bishnoi hasn’t been at his best this IPL. So their bowling attack doesn’t look threatening. Their slide will continue,” Hesson said on JioCinema.
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