‘If yesterday's game was a thriller, this has to be mother of all’- Twitter go crazy as Lucknow beat Kolkata in a last-ball thriller

Lucknow became the second team after Gujarat to reach the playoffs after beating Kolkata by 2 runs on Wednesday at Dr. DY Patil Stadium. KL Rahul and Co. scored a mammoth 210-run total on the board. Despite that, the match went right down to the wire and but, in the end, Gujarat won the game by 2 runs.

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Lucknow won the toss and batted first. KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock put on a show with the bat in the first innings. The duo stayed at the crease from the 1^st over till the last ball of the innings. KL Rahul started off steadily, while Quinton de Kock went after the opposition bowlers right from the onset of his innings. He, arguably, played the best knock of his Indian T20 League career.

The southpaw played shots all around the ground and didn’t spare a single bowler during his masterclass knock. He played a sensational unbeaten knock of 140 runs in just 70 balls. He hit 10 fours and as many sixes during his knock. For the unversed, it was South African cricketer’s second century of his Indian T20 League career.

De Kock received valuable support from KL Rahul, who also played a brilliant knock of 68 runs in 51 balls, including 3 fours and 4 sixes. For Kolkata, none of the bowlers made an impact in the first innings. Not a single bowler managed to pick a wicket. Tim Southee was the most expensive bowler as he went for 57 runs in his quota of four overs.

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In pursuit of the target, Kolkata made the worst possible start. Mohsin Khan produced another sensational spell in the powerplay as he sent Venkatesh Iyer (0 off 4) and Abhijeet Tomar (4) back to the hut inside the first three overs.

Skipper, Shreyas Iyer then joined hands with Nitish Rana to lead an outstanding recovery. The duo played some stunning shots and stitched a 56-run partnership for the third wicket. Rana scored the majority of the runs in the partnership. Nitish Rana played a handy knock of 42 runs in 22 balls but couldn’t convert that into a big score.

Once, Rana got out, Iyer took the matters in his hands and changed gears. Sam Billings, on the other hand, too, looked to be aggressive right from the start of his innings. Iyer scored a half-century in just 28 balls but he, too, got out on the very next ball after scoring a fifty. He scored 50 in 29 balls, a knock which was laced with 4 fours and 3 sixes.

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Sam Billings also played a handy knock of 36 runs in 24 balls before Ravi Bishnoi had him stumped. Andre Russell didn't last too long either and it looked like the game was completely in the hands of Lucknow. Kolkata had lost 6 wickets for 150 runs in 16.4 overs. But Lucknow didn't know what was about to follow.

Sunil Narine and Rinku Singh joined hands and the duo put on a sensational partnership and took the game till the very last ball. Narine hit three sixes during his unbeaten 7-ball 21-run knock. On the other hand, Rinku Singh played a blinder.

He played an absolute masterclass knock of 40 runs in 15 balls, including 2 fours and 4 sixes. Needing 21 runs in the final over, Rinku Singh smashed 2 sixes and 1 four to reduce the equation to 3 runs needed off 2 balls. However, Stoinis took two wickets in two balls, thereafter, and helped the team win the game by 2 runs, in the end. Here’s a look at some of the best reactions from the match:

Love this game of Cricket ❤️ so much #KKRvsLSG

— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) May 18, 2022

RINKU SINGH NEEDED IN THE INDIAN TEAM FOR T20 WORLD CUP! 🏆

— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) May 18, 2022

Rinkooooooooooo! Ice pack. Cool as MSD. #KKRvsLSG #IPL

— Wriddhaayan B. (@Wriddhaayan) May 18, 2022

What a game….#KKRvsLSG

— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) May 18, 2022

Rinku Singh, you superstar.

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 18, 2022

Heart goes out to Rinku Singh who played splendidly and got out to hell of a good catch. What a brave innings little boy. More coming in your way. #LSGvsKKR #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/DluymS27Cv

— Amit Mishra (@MishiAmit) May 18, 2022

LSG fans right now #LSGvsKKR #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/8VwU8UuX27

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) May 18, 2022

OMG!!!!
WHAT A MATCH😵
If yesterday's game was a triller, this has to be mother of all!
Incredible effort from @rinkusingh235#LSGvsKKR#IPL2022

— MAAS (@shuja696) May 18, 2022

That Evan Lewis catch is one for the ages…
For the people who think the IPL is fixed- how do you fix that!!!#LSGvsKKR

— Ajay Kamath (@ajay43) May 18, 2022

To run in. To anticipate. To dive. And then to back yourself to go one-handed!

Evin Lewis what are you made of? How do you back yourself to do THAT! Unreal! 💪🏼🔥🙌🏼#LSGvsKKR pic.twitter.com/dWtoU5TP3J

— Tanay Tiwari (@Tanay_Tiwari) May 18, 2022

Highest individual score in IPL 2022: 140*(70) by De Kock.
What a hundred 💥💥 unbelievable 🙏🔥🔥🔥luv u quinny 💙#LSGvsKKR #ipl #LSG pic.twitter.com/MDQlk8ycsS

— PrabuDS🕉️✝️☪️❤️ (@dsthala25) May 18, 2022

#KKR Bowlers to #LSG batsmen 😂#KKRvsLSG #LSGvsKKR pic.twitter.com/sMZhwfSB6S

— Siju Moothedath💯 (@SijuMoothedath) May 18, 2022

Success you know, reason don't.#LSGvsKKR pic.twitter.com/w6GUX8Hj5P

— Sir Dinda⁴⁵ (@SirDindaTweet) May 18, 2022

KKR fans to Rinku Singh & Sunil Narine : #LSGvsKKR pic.twitter.com/83AjSJU2pV

— Manoj Pareek (@mrpareekji) May 18, 2022

STAT: KL Rahul and Quinton De Kock now holds the record of highest opening partnership in IPL History, going past Warner-Bairstow 185. #LSGvsKKR | @timesofsports

— Times of Sports (@timesofsports) May 18, 2022

KKR's bowling coach's motivational speech before this match.....#LSGvsKKR pic.twitter.com/TY17u1XaCJ

— Krishna (@Atheist_Krishna) May 18, 2022

First time ever in IPL that a team has not lost a wicket in the first innings #LSGvsKKR

— Somesh Agarwal (@someshagarwal22) May 18, 2022

literally everyone to LSG openers:#LSGvsKKR pic.twitter.com/Rh8esC8BBf

— tushR🍕 (@heyytusharr) May 18, 2022

De Kock and KL returning to the dressing room #LSGvsKKR #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/RRvRNChmMd

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) May 18, 2022

ddhd