Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 31 (ANI): Following his side’s 21-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match, Lucknow Super Giants pacer Mayank Yadav, who impressed everyone with his fiery pace of above 150 kmph on his debut, said that he was not nervous.
Debutant Mayank Yadav’s magnificent four over spell restricted the Punjab Kings (PBKS) to 178/5 and helped his side Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to a victory by 21 runs at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Following the game, Mayank said in the post-match presentation, “I have always heard from others that there is nervousness in debuts but that goes away after the first ball. My plan was to not be under too much pressure, to bowl at the stumps and to use the pace as much as possible. There was the thought of mixing up the pace initially but the wicket helped and the skipper told me to bowl quick. The debut wicket was the favourite. Coming off the injury last season was tough, I would set my goal to debut at a young age but injuries were a setback.”
Mayank has played two first-class matches, 17 List-A games and 11 T20 matches. He represents Delhi at the domestic level, having made his List-A debut in 2021 and his first-class debut in 2022. He was chosen as the ‘Player of the Match’ for his spell of 3/27, getting wickets of Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh and Jitesh Sharma.
LSG elected to bat first after winning the toss. Quinton de Kock (54 in 38 balls, with five fours and two sixes), skipper Nicholas Pooran (42 in 21 balls, with three fours and three sixes) and Krunal Pandya (43* in 22 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) helped LSG reach 199/8 in 20 overs. There was a 47-run partnership between Kock and Pooran for the fourth wicket that helped LSG settle following some quick wickets.
Sam Curran (3/28) and Arshdeep Singh (3/30) were the pick of the bowlers for PBKS. Rahul Chahar and Kagiso Rabada took a wicket each.
In the run chase, skipper Shikhar Dhawan (70 in 50 balls, with seven fours and three sixes) and Jonny Bairstow (42 in 29 balls, with three fours and three sixes) kicked things off with a 102-run opening partnership. But Mayank’s fiery spell derailed PBKS’s efforts, reducing them to 141/4 in 16.2 overs. Liam Livingstone (28* in 17 balls, with two fours and two sixes) tried to fight out but PBKS was restricted to 178/5 in their 20 overs.
Mohsin Khan also picked up two wickets for 34 runs.
LSG is at the fifth place in the points table with two points, having won one match and lost one. PBKS is at sixth place, with a win and two losses, giving them two points. (ANI)
