IPL 2024 Match 54, LSG VS KKR: Live Ball by Ball Commentary

Welcome back for the second essay. Shreyas Iyer leads his troops out to the middle, and the two openers of Lucknow join them. As was the case in the last game, Arshin Kulkarni comes in as the Impact Player for the hosts, replacing Yash Thakur. Vaibhav Arora comes on as the Impact Player for Kolkata in place of Angkrish Raghuvanshi. Arora will kickstart proceedings with the new ball. Away we go…

… THE RUN CHASE …

Right then, Kolkata will be the happier of the two sides at the halfway mark. The visitors seemed to be losing their way with Andre Russell and Rinku Singh both back in the shed but Ramandeep Singh stepped up to give the finishing kick and they will take the momentum with them to their bowling effort. If Lucknow pull off this chase, it will be their highest successful chase in Indian T20 League history. A good Powerplay will be immensely important in setting the tone for the rest of the chase. Back in a bit to see how the chase unfolds.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi is up for a flash interview. He begins by saying that it's a good score and they finished up well. He adds that Sunil Narine is in the form of his life and it was fun to watch him play those big strokes. Says that it was just about keeping up with the momentum and also says there's absolutely no dew out there. He states that the records are meant to be broken but is confident that with the in-form bowling line up, they will be able to defend this score.

Lucknow will be disappointed with their bowling effort, especially with how the last couple of overs went, conceding 35 runs. Lucknow were not able to start well with the ball, conceding 70 runs in the Powerplay, the most they have done this season. Naveen-ul-Haq getting rid of Phil Salt was the highlight for them in the first six overs. Given the kind of Powerplay they had, it was important for them to pull things back in the middle phase. Ravi Bishnoi tied runs up at one end and was rewarded with the wicket of Sunil Narine. Naveen-ul-Haq took a beating in his opening over but fought back well and chipped away at the wickets in the middle phase to end up with three in total. Coming on as the concussion sub for Mohsin Khan who banged his head onto the turf while attempting a catch, Yudhvir Singh struck with his first delivery but could not execute his plans well in the penultimate over and Yash Thakur too was all over the place in the last over.

Kolkata finish on a high to end up with 235 on the board! 200 has been breached for the first time in T20 cricket at this venue, and it is enough to tell you the kind of batting effort this has been from Kolkata. After being put into bat, the visitors were off to a flier. Phil Salt raced off the blocks, and Sunil Narine followed suit soon after. After Salt fell on 40, Narine took the mantle of pressing on the accelerator and capitalised on the momentum created. He found an able alley in Angkrish Raghuvanshi but it was the southpaw who did most of the hitting and unleashed a real assault on the Lucknow bowlers. Narine looked set to notch up another hundred but his stay was cut short after scoring 81 and his partner, Angkrish was dismissed on 32. Sent in at the departure of Sunil Narine, Andre Russell had the license to go big right from ball one but could not make the most of the opportunity, and it was the same case with Rinku Singh. Ramandeep Singh teed off towards the end and propelled Kolkata to 235.

Yash Thakur to Ramandeep Singh, SIX! BOOM! What a sensational finish from Ramandeep Singh and Kolkata finish strong! Yash Thakur offers a juicy full toss on the middle and leg, Ramandeep Singh gets underneath it and picks the bones out of with and deposits it behind deep mid-wicket for a maximum. He finishes off in style for Kolkata as they finish on 235.

Yash Thakur to Ramandeep Singh, FOUR! Oh, nicely done! Slower bouncer, outside off, Ramandeep Singh has all the time in the world as he waits for the ball to come close to him, uses the bounce and calculates the pace before he guides it over the short third for a boundary.

Yash Thakur to Venkatesh Iyer, Full in length, and slower in pace, angling across off, Venkatesh Iyer drives it to long off for one.

Venkatesh Iyer comes out to the middle now.

Yash Thakur to Shreyas Iyer, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! An absolute screamer of a catch from KL Rahul! Yash bowls a slower bouncer going down leg, Shreyas Iyer swivels to help it away fine to deep fine leg but only manages to catch the faint brush off his gloves. KL Rahul puts in a full-stretched dive to his left and completes the catch to dismiss his opposition skipper.

Yash Thakur to Shreyas Iyer, Yorker on the middle, Shreyas Iyer jams it through mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Yash Thakur to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR! Easy pickings! Bowls full, angling on the pads, Shreyas Iyer flicks it through the gap between deep backward square leg and deep fine leg for a boundary.

Yash Thakur to Shreyas Iyer, WIDE! Slower bumper, angling on the leg stump line, just around the helmet level. Shreyas Iyer goes for a pull shot lifting his front leg up but doesn't connect. He reviews it for a Wide challenging the on-field decision. The split-screen does confirm that it is outside leg and the Umpire has to overturn the decision. Wided.

Who will bowl the last over? It will be Yash Thakur (3-0-28-0).

Yudhvir Singh to Ramandeep Singh, SIX! Smoked over the ropes! Gee, he's playing a very crucial cameo here! Slower in pace, angling in on a length from outside off, Ramandeep Singh waits for the ball to come at him and swings it over long on for a maximum. He just manages to clear the leaping man at long on.

Yudhvir Singh to Shreyas Iyer, Full in length, outside off, Shreyas Iyer smashes it to long off for a single.

Yudhvir Singh to Ramandeep Singh, In the air…lands safe! Slower, shorter and on the top of the middle, Ramandeep Singh waits for it but doesn't time it at all over the mid on region. Yudhvir Singh runs backward and the fielder from long on too converges as well but the ball lands between both of them. A single taken.

Yudhvir Singh to Ramandeep Singh, SIX! Right into the slot and punished! Overpitched on the middle and off, Ramandeep Singh covers his stumps and clears his front foot before hoisting it with the middle of the bat over deep mid-wicket for half a dozen.

Yudhvir Singh to Ramandeep Singh, Short and angling on middle, Ramandeep Singh pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Yudhvir Singh to Shreyas Iyer, Full, slower and angling in, on off, Shreyas Iyer aims for a reverse scoop but adjusts his shot at the very last moment and pushes it towards backward point for a single.

Ramandeep Singh is the new man in. Yudhvir Singh will bowl the penultimate over.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Rinku Singh, OUT! TAKEN! Rinku Singh departs now and Naveen gets his third wicket. Bangs it short in length, over the top of the middle and leg, Rinku Singh looks to pull it but he plays it a bit close to the body, hence doesn't generate enough power and gets it off the high end of the bat. The ball lobs up and Marcus Stoinis stationed at square leg runs forward and completes the catch. Rinku Singh is really disappointed with himself as he couldn't get going.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Rinku Singh, FOUR! Expertly played by Rinku and 200 comes up for the first time at this venue in any form of T20 cricket. Full and slanting across off, Rinku Singh uses the pace and goes through covers for a boundary.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Shreyas Iyer, Bowls it full and on off, Shreyas Iyer works it to long off for a single.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR! One bounce and a boundary! Full in length, just around off, Shreyas Iyer waits for this pace-off delivery and strikes it down the ground over the bowler's head for a one bounce four.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Shreyas Iyer, Short in length, outside off, Shreyas Iyer waits for an uppercut but misses on the outside edge. KL Rahul collects the ball at his chest level.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Rinku Singh, Cannons a yorker from over the wicket, lands it full around off, Rinku Singh bends low and squeezes it towards widish cover for a quick single.

Yash Thakur to Rinku Singh, Short in length at 140 clicks, on middle and leg, Rinku Singh pulls it towards deep backward square leg for an easy single to retain the strike.

Yash Thakur to Shreyas Iyer, Length ball, pace off, angling in from outside off, Shreyas Iyer cuts it to backward point for a single.

Yash Thakur to Shreyas Iyer, A low full toss, angling in from middle, Shreyas Iyer flicks it through square leg and gets back for the double.

Yash Thakur to Rinku Singh, IN THE AIR…DROPPED! A difficult chance though! Short in length, and on the middle and leg, Rinku Singh pulls it over square leg but doesn't get the timing right. The ball carries over to the deep where Krunal Pandya runs in and dives to take a low catch, gets his hands to it but eventually puts it down with the momentum. One taken in the meantime.

Yash Thakur to Shreyas Iyer, A low full toss this time on the leg stump line, Shreyas Iyer flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Yash Thakur to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR! Poor and got the treatment! Full toss on the pads, Shreyas Iyer just uses the pace of the ball and guides it towards deep fine leg for a boundary.

Yash Thakur to Shreyas Iyer, Yorker down the leg stump, Shreyas Iyer misses to flick again and the ball goes to the keeper. Shreyas Iyer looks at the Umpire for a Wide but the Umpire is unmoved. He straight away goes upstairs and challenges the decision. The Umpire thinks that the ball has made contact with Iyer's boot but that's not the case as the replay shows the ball is clearly missing the boot. Wide given and the on-field decision has been overturned.

Yash Thakur to Shreyas Iyer, WIDE! Way, way down leg. Shreyas Iyer doesn't connect the flick and the Umpire signals for a Wide.

Yash Thakur (2-0-16-0) comes back into the attack, replacing Naveen-ul-Haq.

Yudhvir Singh to Shreyas Iyer, Oh, he really had to hurry for that run! Risky stuff. Bowls it on a length, around off, Shreyas Iyer plays it straight towards mid off and sets off for a single. Naveen-ul-Haq is quick to pick and throw at the non-striker's end but has a shy and Shreyas survives a suicidal run out.

Yudhvir Singh to Rinku Singh, On a good length, angling across on middle, Rinku Singh nudges it to widish mid on for a single.

Yudhvir Singh to Rinku Singh, FOUR! Nice and classy! Full length, angling across middle, Rinku Singh uses his wrists and flicks it high over mid-wicket for a boundary.

Yudhvir Singh to Shreyas Iyer, Same length, around off, Shreyas Iyer pushes it towards short cover for a single.

Yudhvir Singh to Shreyas Iyer, On the back of a length, angling in from off, Shreyas Iyer goes for a cut but misses.

Yudhvir Singh to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! And again, a break causes a breakthrough and it's all happening here at Lucknow as the concussion sub, Yudhvir gets a wicket off his very first delivery. Short in length, angling in from outside off, just over the top of off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi looks to guide it towards short third getting on top of it but ends up getting a bottom edge that goes straight into the gloves of KL Rahul who makes no mistake. The captain of Kolkata, Shreyas Iyer comes out to bat now.

Strategic Break! The conditions are pretty well set for Rinku Singh to provide a strong finish and compound on the run rate accelerated by the top order, mostly by Sunil Narine who got out on a thundering 81 off just 39 deliveries. Lucknow, with the wicket of Andre Russell just in the over before the break would be aiming to get a couple of more and pull the target back to some extent. Yudhvir Singh comes on as the concussion substitute for Mohsin Khan, who banged his head on the turf while attempting the catch of Sunil Narine off Ravi Bishnoi's bowling. As Kolkata eyes another 200-plus score, will Lucknow restrict them below that mark? Let's find out how the last five overs pan out…

Naveen-ul-Haq to Rinku Singh, Good placement! Full and slanting in, at the stumps, Rinku Singh places it in the vacant mid-wicket region with soft hands and collects a couple of runs with ease. 9 runs off it but more importantly for Naveen-ul-Haq and Lucknow, they got the big wicket of Andre Russell.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Rinku Singh, Comes from over the wicket now and takes pace off, seeing the batter advance, on a good length, Rinku Singh adjusts and pushes it back to the bowler.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Rinku Singh, At the hips, on a back of a length, Rinku Singh glances it wide of deep backward square leg for a couple of runs.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Rinku Singh, Bowls it on a back of a length, on middle and leg, Rinku Singh is late on the flick and gets rapped high on the back leg.

Rinku Singh walks in at number 5 for Kolkata.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Andre Russell, OUT! TAKEN! Krishnappa Gowtham, you beauty! Gowtham comes on as a substitute and pulls off a pressure catch. The crowd erupts and this is a massive wicket for Lucknow. Naveen-ul-Haq sticks to his plan of bowling near the wide guideline, on a length, Andre Russell stays deep in his crease and reaches out to go up and over cover. Slices it off the bottom half of the bat. Krishnappa Gowtham at cover, turns around and keeps his eyes on the ball all the way through. Takes it over his shoulder and the ball does not pop out even as his elbow hits the ground. An absolute screamer of a catch from Gowtham and Dre Russ departs without causing much damage.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Andre Russell, WIDE! Tries to keep it away from the batter again, on a length but slips it beyond the wide guideline on off, Andre Russell gets low to force it through the off side but fails to connect. Lucknow review to overturn the decision of wide. However, the replays show that it was indeed beyond the tramline.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Andre Russell, FOUR! Not in complete control but Andre Russell will take it! Serves it full in length and near the tramline on off, Andre Russell knows that mid off is inside the circle and he swings to clear the man there. Gets it off the toe-end of the bat and it goes back over the bowler's head, beating the sprinting long on fielder to his left for a boundary.

Halt! With that dive, Angkrish Raghuvanshi has hurt himself and he seems to be in some pain as well. KL Rahul checks up on him and Andre Russell too walks to see him. Raghuvanshi gets the requisite treatment and is good to continue.

Ravi Bishnoi to Andre Russell, Sliding onto the pads, short in length, Andre Russell works it off his pads towards short fine leg. Angkrish Raghuvanshi dives at the batting end to make his ground. Raghuvanshi has not got up and looks like he has injured himself while putting in the dive. Bishnoi is done for the night and he finishes with figures of 4-0-33-1.

Ravi Bishnoi to Andre Russell, Googly and it is quicker as well, short and on the pads, Andre Russell plays all around it and gets hit high on the front pad.

Ravi Bishnoi to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Pushes it through, short and on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi hurriedly gets his bat in line and gets an inside edge to short fine leg for one.

Ravi Bishnoi to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Pulls his length back and dishes out a googly, slower through the air, Angkrish Raghuvanshi shows his cards early as he shimmies down the track for a swipe across the line. Luckily for him, he manages to get an inside edge onto the pads. He was so far down the track that no bat on it would have resulted in an easy stumping for KL Rahul.

Ravi Bishnoi to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, WIDE! Fires it in, on a length but down leg, Angkrish Raghuvanshi misses the tickle and it is called as a wide by the umpire.

Ravi Bishnoi to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, FOUR! Good use of the feet! Loops it up, full and outside off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi gets down the track in a flash and takes it on the full. Lifts it back over the bowler's head and also manages to beat the sprinting long off fielder for a boundary.

Ravi Bishnoi to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, How has that missed the off pole? Slips in a googly, full in length, around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi gets down and reaches out in front for the sweep. The ball sneaks in under the bat and goes just past the off-stump.

Krunal Pandya to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Slower through the air and on middle and leg, on a nagging length, Angkrish Raghuvanshi clips it through mid-wicket for one more run.

Krunal Pandya to Andre Russell, On a nagging length, on off, Andre Russell dabs it wide of point and gets to the other end.

Krunal Pandya to Andre Russell, WIDE! Tries to keep it away from the batter but ends up bowling it beyond the tramline on off. Andre Russell lets it go for a wide.

Krunal Pandya to Andre Russell, SIX! That's into the solar system! Full, and flighted at the middle stump. Andre Russell gets low on the front foot, gets underneath it, and hoists it over wide long on for a biggie. Gee, that full flow of the willow and on top of it, the muscle power of Dre Russ!

Krunal Pandya to Andre Russell, FIVE WIDES! Oh dear! That's too wayward from Krunal! He sprays it way down the leg side. Andre Russell misses to sweep and the ball also beats KL Rahul and guns down to fine leg for five wides.

Krunal Pandya to Andre Russell, Another one slating into the pads, Andre Russell looks to clip this full delivery but plays all over it to get hit on the pads.

Krunal Pandya to Andre Russell, Slanting in, full and on the pads, Andre Russell misses the clip and gets hit on the front pad.

Krunal Pandya to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Fuller and quicker, on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi works it in front of square on the leg side for one.

Andre Russell has been promoted to number 4 for Kolkata.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sunil Narine, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Devdutt Padikkal does not make any mistake this time! Lucknow will be relieved that they have managed to end the carnage from Sunil Narine but they cannot breathe freely just yet as there is a lot of firepower still left in the shed for Kolkata. Bowls it full, on off, Sunil Narine shapes up to go big again and looks to clear long off. Skies it off the toe-end of the bat towards long off where Devdutt Padikkal runs in a few steps and takes it near his chest. The Lucknow crowd stands up to applaud the knock from Narine.

Ravi Bishnoi to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Full and it is another googly, on middle, Angkrish Raghuvanshi drives it down to long on and brings Narine back on strike.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sunil Narine, Full and on off, Sunil Narine knocks it down to wide long on for a single.

Halt! That must have hurt Mohsin Khan. He leaps to his right to take the catch at short third but fails to fetch it as the ball bursts through his hands. He falls and bangs his head on the ground. Not a good sign for Mohsin as he walks back to the dugout with the physio. He is being treated with the ice pack on his face just near the boundary ropes but surely, he is in discomfort.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sunil Narine, ANOTHER CHANCE MISSED! Luck favoring the brave Sunil Narine. Slows it up and bowls it outside off, full as well, Sunil Narine clears his front leg to go back over the bowler's head. Gets a thickish outside edge that flies towards short third. Mohsin Khan flings himself to his right but fails to cling on. To make matters worse, Mohsin's head gets banged into the turf and he looks to be in some discomfort. Two runs taken.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sunil Narine, SIX! Oh no! Devdutt Padikkal takes it but steps on the ropes! Another googly, on a nagging length, on off, Sunil Narine goes down the track and looks to go down town. He fails to get to the pitch of the ball but he still goes through the shot. Slices it in the air towards long off where Devdutt Padikkal completes the catch but he is not aware of where the rope is and ends up stepping on the boundary cushions. Padikkal should have done better there.

Ravi Bishnoi to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Dishes out a googly, full and on leg, Angkrish Raghuvanshi swipes it off the inner half of the bat to deep mid-wicket for one.

Marcus Stoinis to Sunil Narine, SIX! Back-to-back sixes for Sunil Narine. 19 runs off the over and Narine is in some mood tonight. Digs it into the wicket, outside off, Sunil Narine fetches the pull well and swivels to pull it over deep square leg. Gets enough bat on it to clear the fielder in the deep.

Marcus Stoinis to Sunil Narine, SIX! My word! Sunil Narine goes big again! Stoinis takes pace off and bowls it on a back of a length, on middle, Sunil Narine hangs back and waits for the ball to arrive. Nails the pull over deep mid-wicket for a maximum.

Marcus Stoinis to Sunil Narine, Slows it up and bowls it outside off, the length stays full, Sunil Narine reaches out to force it through the off side but misses out on the connection.

Marcus Stoinis to Sunil Narine, SIX! Stand and deliver! Fuller in length, on middle, Sunil Narine clears his front leg and hits through the line. Tonks it over long on for a massive maximum.

Marcus Stoinis to Sunil Narine, Bangs it in short, over middle, Sunil Narine swivels for the pull but the ball gets big on him and it zips over his bat.

Marcus Stoinis to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Starts off on a back of a length, on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi employs the short-arm jab and hits it along the ground towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

Marcus Stoinis (1-0-10-0) returns to the attack.

Ravi Bishnoi to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Another googly, full and at the middle stump. Raghuvanshi gets on the front foot, and nudges it through square leg for a single.

Ravi Bishnoi to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, FOUR! Good shot! Way too overpitched outside off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi cashes on the plenty of width on offer and drives it handsomely through covers for a cracking boundary.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sunil Narine, Full, googly, and pitching outside leg. Sunil Narine backs away and gets down on one knee but misses the slog sweep on the inside edge. The keeper fails to grab it cleanly, deflecting it towards short fine leg for a run.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sunil Narine, Full pitching outside leg, Narine misses the flick on the inside edge and gets pinged on the front pad.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sunil Narine, Another googly, turning away from outside off, Sunil Narine goes for a switch hit but misses.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sunil Narine, FOUR! A terrific fifty from Sunil Narine! He continues to set the tone for Kolkata! This is just around off and on a shade fuller length, Sunil Narine reads the googly right and cuts it fine through short third for a boundary.

Yash Thakur to Sunil Narine, 100 up for Kolkata! A low full toss angling into the stumps, Sunil Narine dances down the track and works it down to long on for a single to end the over.

Yash Thakur to Sunil Narine, Hits the deck hard, angling in, Sunil Narine backs away again for a pull shot but gets beaten for the bounce.

Yash Thakur to Sunil Narine, SIX! Shot! Short in length and outside off, Sunil Narine backs away and pulls it up and over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Yash Thakur to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, On the back of a length, at off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi plays inside the line of the ball and works it down to deep third for one.

Yash Thakur to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, SIX! Salt into the wounds! Short and angling in, Angkrish Raghuvanshi swivels and pulls it well over deep square leg for a maximum.

Yash Thakur to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, A BIG MIX-UP! Full and around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi flicks it to the left of mid-wicket and sets off for a single. Sunil Narine watches the ball but doesn't see his partner who is more than halfway through the run. Angkrish Raghuvanshi retreats back to the striker's end. Devdutt Padikkal is quick to pick up the ball and throw at the striker's end. KL Rahul fails to collect the ball cleanly and fumbles. Angkrish Raghuvanshi is back in but had it been a direct it, he was a goner.

Ravi Bishnoi to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Just around off on a fuller length, Angkrish Raghuvanshi sits down and sweeps it along the carpet for a single towards deep mid-wicket. Good start for Ravi Bishnoi.

Ravi Bishnoi to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, WIDE! Drifts it down the leg stump on a length. Wided.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sunil Narine, Shade full in length, on the pads, Sunil Narine clips it off the back foot towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

Ravi Bishnoi to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Goes fuller this time, keeps the line on the stumps, Angkrish Raghuvanshi pushes it towards long on for a single.

Ravi Bishnoi to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, A quicker wrong'un into the batter on a good length, Angkrish Raghuvanshi reads well and pushes it to the point region.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sunil Narine, Drifts it well across off on a dragged length, Sunil Narine punches it to the off side and runs a single.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sunil Narine, Begins with a googly, outside off on a length, Sunil Narine looks to guide the ball towards short third but misses on the outside edge.

It will be spin from both ends as Ravi Bishnoi comes on from the other end.

Krunal Pandya to Sunil Narine, Drags his length, on the pads, Sunil Narine chips it through mid-wicket for another single to end the over. 11 runs from this over.

Krunal Pandya to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Full, on the stumps, Angkrish Raghuvanshi gets ahead and drives it towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Sunil Narine, Krunal adjusts his length seeing Narine skipping forward and bowls it short on the middle. Sunil Narine slices it above the bowler's head for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Sunil Narine, SIX! There's no stopping this bloke! Around the wicket, outside the line of off-stump, and full in length. Sunil Narine clears the front leg and clobbers it well over deep mid-wicket for a maximum.

Krunal Pandya to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Slower, on the middle and full in length, Angkrish Raghuvanshi strides ahead and drives it against the spin through mid-wicket for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Sunil Narine, Shorter and quicker on the middle and leg, Sunil Narine goes back and tucks it towards square leg for a comfortable single.

Strategic break! It has been another one of those blistering starts Kolkata have been accustomed to this season. Phil Salt could not kick on but Sunil Narine and Angkrish Raghuvanshi will look to capitalise on this created momentum and dominate the middle phase. Lucknow will be relieved to see the back of the dangerous-looking Salt and will look to build on the previous over from Yash Thakur, which went for just 2 runs. With the field restrictions now being lifted, KL Rahul will soon turn to spin in his quest to chip away at the wickets. As expected, Krunal Pandya will bowl after the break.

Yash Thakur to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Excellent from Yash Thakur! Also, the first over without any boundary! Hits the deck hard from around the wicket, on the middle, Angkrish Raghuvanshi knocks it firmly back to the bowler. Just two singles from this over.

Yash Thakur to Sunil Narine, Pace on, short in length, on the middle and leg, Sunil Narine pulls it with no timing but still manages it to pull it over the inner ring over mid-wicket for a single.

Yash Thakur to Sunil Narine, Identical length and line on the middle, angling in, Sunil Narine again finds mid off. No run.

Yash Thakur to Sunil Narine, Around the wicket now, angling in from middle, full in length, Sunil Narine stays leg side of the ball and drives it straight to mid off.

Yash Thakur to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Short in length, on the top of the middle, Angkrish Raghuvanshi skips down the track and drives it off the inner half of the bat, straight down the ground for a single. The mid on fielder cuts it off and a single is taken.

Yash Thakur to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Starts off well! Nice and straight on a hard length, at the middle, Angkrish Raghuvanshi pushes it straight to mid on.

Yash Thakur has been handed the ball now.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Sunil Narine, Not in control but Sunil Narine gets away with it! Full and it is in the arc for the batter, Sunil Narine has a swipe across the line. Gets it off the inside half of the bat but it goes to the left of mid-wicket. The fielder at deep square leg runs around to his right and cuts it off. Two runs taken.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Back of a length, outside off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi dabs it wide of cover and rotates the strike.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, FOUR! Uppish but it is in the gap and Angkrish Raghuvanshi is up and running! Full and it is around the off-stump line, Angkrish Raghuvanshi uses his feet and goes for the drive. Hits it a bit uppishly but it goes to the right of cover for a boundary.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Slanting in, low full toss, on middle and leg, Angkrish Raghuvanshi drives it with a straight bat towards mid on.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi is in at number 3.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Phil Salt, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Naveen-ul-Haq fights back! KL Rahul persisted with the Afghan seamer despite going for 19 runs and it has paid off. Naveen-ul-Haq stays over the wicket and rolls his fingers over the ball. Pulls his length back as well and bowls it outside off, Phil Salt reaches out to thrash it through the off side with no real foot movement. The ball rises a bit off the deck and catches the outside edge of the bat. It lobs behind the wicket where KL Rahul dives to his right and snaffles it.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Phil Salt, FOUR! Skillfully done! Goes full and on the off-stump line, Phil Salt angles the face of his bat perfectly to guide it between backward point and short third for a boundary.

Mohsin Khan to Sunil Narine, SIX! Sunil Narine finishes the over in the best possible fashion! A 19-run over followed by a 20-run over and Kolkata are flying here. Mohsin digs it in short, over middle and leg, Sunil Narine hangs back in his crease and gets this one at a good height. Nails the pull over deep backward square leg for a biggie.

Mohsin Khan to Sunil Narine, WIDE! Bangs it into the deck, over middle. This goes over the batter's head for a wide.

Mohsin Khan to Sunil Narine, Swing and a miss! On a good length, outside off, Sunil Narine swings with all his might to go back over the bowler's head but connects with thin air.

Mohsin Khan to Sunil Narine, FOUR! Three boundaries on the trot and Sunil Narine has arrived in Lucknow! Too predictable from Mohsin Khan as this is on a length, slanting into the arc of the batter, Sunil Narine holds his shape and tonks it over mid on for another boundary. 50-run stand comes up between the two in just no time. They are up and running.

Mohsin Khan to Sunil Narine, FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries for Sunil Narine! Fuller in length, at pace, on off, Sunil Narine clears his front leg and drills it along the ground to the right of mid off for a boundary.

Mohsin Khan to Sunil Narine, FOUR! Up and over! Rolls his fingers over the ball and lands it on a length, width on offer on off, Sunil Narine makes room to go over covers. One hand comes off the bat but still manages to clear cover for a boundary.

Mohsin Khan to Phil Salt, Length delivery, on the pads, Phil Salt works it wide of mid on and gets to the other end.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Sunil Narine, FOUR! Just over! Takes pace off but drifts on the pads, on a good length, Sunil Narine looks to help it away off his pads. He swings a bit early and gets it from the upper half of the bat. It lobs towards short fine leg but Narine gets enough bat on it to clear the leaping Mohsin Khan for four more runs. 19 runs off Naveen-ul-Haq's first over.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Sunil Narine, FOUR! Quality shot! Naveen-ul-Haq almost nails the yorker, on middle, Sunil Narine backs away and shapes up to go through the off side. Stays low to make the connection and carves it over the in-field on the off side for his first boundary.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Phil Salt, Mixes it up does Naveen-ul-Haq as this is slower and full, at the stumps, Phil Salt reads it well and pushes it to the right of the bowler for a single.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Phil Salt, Goes full again, outside off, Phil Salt angles his bat face to drive it to the right of deep cover for a couple of runs. 10 runs off the first three balls from Naveen-ul-Haq.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Phil Salt, FOUR! Two in two and this has been hit with real authority! A bit too full by Naveen-ul-Haq and offers width as well, outside off, Phil Salt gets his weight on the front foot and creams the drive between cover and mid off for four more runs.

Naveen-ul-Haq to Phil Salt, FOUR! Phil Salt greets Naveen-ul-Haq with a boundary! Naveen-ul-Haq steams in from wide of the crease on the over-the-wicket angle but gets the line wrong, on a length, on the pads, Phil Salt does not miss out as he flicks it behind square on the leg side for a boundary.

Naveen-ul-Haq replaces Marcus Stoinis.

Mohsin Khan to Sunil Narine, Takes pace off and goes fuller this time, in the channel on off, Sunil Narine swings again to hit through the line but fails to pick the change of pace and gets undone by the lack of pace as the ball goes under the bat. Good comeback by Mohsin after being hit for a six.

Mohsin Khan to Sunil Narine, Well bowled! Bends his back and bangs it in short, at the left shoulder of the batter, Sunil Narine swings to pull it away but the ball gets big on him and zips over the bat.

Mohsin Khan to Phil Salt, Hurls it on a hard length, on middle and leg, Phil Salt gets on his toes and pats it to the right of mid on for a quick single.

The ball is lost under the stage of the cheerleaders and hence a bit of a delay. The ground staff have found it and we are good to continue.

Mohsin Khan to Phil Salt, SIX! Phil Salt with the first six of the game! Mohsin lands it on a short length, around the ribs of the batter, Phil Salt shapes up for the pull but he goes through his shot early as the ball comes onto the bat slower than he anticipated. Still manages to get the shot away and helps it over fine leg for the first maximum of the night.

Mohsin Khan to Phil Salt, Serves it on a good length and does not offer room as this is bowled at the batter, Phil Salt can only defend it out with a straight bat to the right of the bowler.

Mohsin Khan to Sunil Narine, Attempts the yorker first up from over the wicket, at the stumps, Sunil Narine takes it on the full and slices it to deep backward point for a single.

Mohsin Khan to operate from the other end.

Marcus Stoinis to Sunil Narine, In the air…but safe! Bangs it on a hard length does Stoinis, around off, Sunil Narine makes room and tries to flat bat it back over the bowler's head. Gets hit high on the bat and it lobs tamely in front of the rushing Krunal Pandya at mid off. They cross. End of an eventful first over, 10 runs off it.

Marcus Stoinis to Sunil Narine, Shaping into the southpaw, on a back of a length, on leg, Sunil Narine stays back and backs away to go big on the leg side but fails to connect. Gets hit on the thigh pad and the ball rolls towards the off side.

Marcus Stoinis to Phil Salt, Drop and run! Slanting in again, on a length, on middle and leg, Phil Salt plays it with a straight bat in front of mid on and calls Sunil Narine through for a quick single. Krunal Pandya swoops in and hits the stumps at the bowling end but Salt is in by then.

Marcus Stoinis to Phil Salt, FOUR! Easy pickings! Stoinis drifts on the pads, on a length, Phil Salt lets the ball come to him and tucks it away nearly off his pads to the fine leg fence for another boundary.

Marcus Stoinis to Phil Salt, Angling in, on a good length, on the pads, Phil Salt misses the clip and gets rapped high on the front pad.

Marcus Stoinis to Phil Salt, FOUR! Action straight away! That could have gone anywhere but luckily for Phil Salt, it travels safely over the keeper's head for a boundary. Marcus hits the deck hard and bowls it around middle, Phil Salt swivels for the pull but the ball sticks in the surface. Salt is through his shot early and gets a top edge that goes way over the keeper's head for a boundary.

All in readiness for this thrilling clash to begin for one last time in Lucknow for this edition! The two Umpires make their way out to the middle. Lucknow players too, disperse out and take their respective positions. The destructive and in-form duo, Phil Salt and Sunil Narine will open for Kolkata. Marcus Stoinis has the new shining leather and will bowl the first over for Lucknow. Here we go…

The captain of Kolkata, Shreyas Iyer says that they would have bowled first as well. Tells that defending 170 at Wankhede with five bowlers has given them tremendous confidence. Shares that there is self-belief in the group. Informs that they will decide later on who to bring in as the Impact Player. States that the four-wicket haul from Mitchell Starc gave the group a lot of confidence and the left-arm seamer has been optimistic right from the start. Adds that he is happy for Starc, who has shown great character and attitude. Ends by saying that is important to stay in the present and seize the moment.

The skipper of Lucknow, KL Rahul elects to BOWL first. He starts by saying that they love to chase and that's the reason to bowl. Adds that they have played on three different pitches and believes they have adapted to the conditions quickly. On being asked about the strike rate while batting, he says that the T20 game has changed a lot over the years and he is aiming to attack the bowlers early on. Adds the teams are eyeing on 200 plus regularly. Says everyone's chipped in and has contributed well so it's a positive sign. On Quinton de Kock, he says he is doing good but they are sticking to the same combination in batting. Informs that Mayank Yadav is still injured and Yash Thakur is back in the side.

Impact players nominated by Kolkata – Anukul Roy, Manish Pandey, Vaibhav Arora, KS Bharat and Sherfane Rutherford.

Kolkata (Playing XI) – Phil Salt (WK), Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (C), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana (In for Vaibhav Arora), Varun Chakaravarthy.

Impact players nominated by Lucknow – Arshin Kulkarni, M. Siddharth, Krishnappa Gowtham, Yudhvir Singh and Devdutt Padikkal.

Lucknow (Playing XI) – KL Rahul (C/WK), Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Ashton Turner, Ayush Badoni, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mohsin Khan, Yash Thakur (In for Mayank Yadav).

TOSS – The coin toss lands in the favour of KL Rahul and Lucknow have elected to BOWL first.

PITCH REPORT – Ravi Shastri and Aaron Finch are at the 22 yards. Shastri begins by saying that a gentle breeze is blowing across the ground and also informs that the boundaries are 76 meters down the ground and 61 meters and 68 meters at the squares. Aaron Finch joins him and says this wicket is being used for the third time this season. Informs that there's a hint of green grass on it but also there are some bare red patches around. He expects the wicket to slow down and reckons anywhere around 190-200 will be a good score while batting first. He adds when Lucknow played here last time, the ball just held the surface, particularly for the spinners. Also, add both sides have quality spinners and they will play a vital role in this game. Ravi Shastri closes by saying the team that wins the toss would like to field first, considering the dew factor.

As far as Kolkata are concerned, having missed out on qualifying for the playoffs for the past two seasons, their current performance indicates a strong sense of determination. With 7 wins from 10 games, Shreyas Iyer and Co. are placed 2nd in the standings, and securing another two points would bring them closer to securing a playoff berth. The bowling unit has started to click for the two-time champions, with Varun Chakaravarthy and Mitchell Starc coming to the party over the course of the past couple of games and Sunil Narine being as consistent as ever. Narine has plundered runs, as has his opening partner, Phil Salt, and with Venkatesh Iyer scoring a match-rescuing fifty in the last outing against Mumbai, all pieces are coming together for Kolkata. Having beaten Lucknow earlier in the season, will the Men in Purple do the double? Let's find out. Stick around for the toss and team news.

Lucknow currently hold the third position in the standings, with six wins from ten games. Following a triumphant clash against Mumbai, marking their fourth home victory, they are poised to bid their fans farewell with a memorable win that could propel them past Kolkata in the standings. Captain KL Rahul's leadership shines through, marked by a notably aggressive approach this season. Marcus Stoinis has rediscovered his batting prowess, delivering a hundred and a fifty in the last three games. Facing off against a batting powerhouse in Kolkata, Lucknow batters need to give their bowlers the extra cushion of runs, and in that context, Nicholas Pooran and Deepak Hooda will also have to deliver. Their fast bowling stocks have taken a hit with Mayank Yadav, who walked off the field against Mumbai and looks to be done for the season with an abdomen issue. In his absence, the onus will be on Mohsin Khan and Naveen-ul-Haq to fill that void, with support expected from Ravi Bishnoi and Krunal Pandya.

Hello and a warm welcome, folks from Lucknow, for one final time in the 2024 edition of the Indian T20 League. In a clash of two teams vying to make a strong push towards the playoffs, Lucknow square off against Kolkata in match number 54 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. Lucknow has been one of the two venues, with the other being Jaipur, where 200 is yet to be breached. However, with the formidable batting might of Kolkata on full display, the prospect of breaching the 200-run mark at this venue looms large.

… MATCH DAY …

The 2024 Indian T20 League has been nothing short of electrifying, and captivating fans with its share of unforgettable moments and historic achievements. It's been a season where every match seems to bring a new twist, keeping cricket enthusiasts on the edge of their seats. Match number 54 promises nothing less and it’s just gonna be another humdinger. In this reverse fixture between Lucknow and Kolkata at the prestigious Ekana International Cricket Stadium, the stakes couldn’t be higher. After tasting defeat against Kolkata earlier in the season, Lucknow is hungry for revenge and will be leaving no stone unturned in their quest for redemption. Both Lucknow and Kolkata are fresh from triumphs against Mumbai in their latest encounters respectively. This shared success adds an interesting dynamic to their upcoming clash. Both teams will be looking to carry forward their winning momentum. Lucknow, the hosts have a strong home record this year as they have won four out of their six home games and would want to end their home cycle on a positive note. Well, the performances have been brilliant from these men. KL Rahul's been leading the Lucknow squad with some decent form with bat, but they've been sweating over their opening partnership, hoping to get it firing before the playoffs hit. Quinton de Kock's been on the sidelines lately due to a bit of a slump, but we all know he's got that explosive potential when he's on song. Thankfully, Marcus Stoinis has been stepping up big-time as a reliable all-rounder. His match-winning century against Chennai and another brilliant 62 against Mumbai prove that he has got that knack for finishing games in crunch situations. Deepak Hooda has too, been in a fine nick while Nicholas Pooran is there to save the day as well with form on his back. While they won’t at all like Mayank Yadav again missing out on games due to an injury, especially the kind of thunderbolts he bowls. Mohsin Khan has impressed along with Naveen-ul-Haq. They also have the veteran leggie Amit Mishra who could prove to be vital on a slow track of Lucknow. The tourists, Kolkata too have shown strength this year and they consistently maintain their spot in the top two. Kolkata's batting seems to be operating on autopilot, with Phil Salt and Sunil Narine providing some explosive starts. With Shreyas Iyer adding strength to the middle order, and Venkatesh Iyer hitting form at the perfect moment, their crucial contributions have bailed out Kolkata multiple times. Rinku Singh will be keen to notch up some runs before heading off to the Caribbean for the T20 World Cup. Mitchell Starc, who was overdue for a match-winning performance, delivered just that with an excellent 4-fer against Mumbai and will be eager to maintain that momentum. Varun Chakaravarthy, in red-hot form, adds an element of mystery to the spin attack alongside Narine. Additionally, the pacers Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana have been holding their own as well. Lucknow’s pitch has a reputation for testing batsmen, making it a tough task to surpass the 200-run mark. Even with a score below that, it proves that it has something for the bowlers to rely on. Chasing hasn’t been a walk in the park this season at Lucknow as four games have been won by the team that bats first. This adds another layer of thrill where we’ll surely witness an intense battle between the bat and the ball. Who do you think will win this exciting clash?