Avesh stars in LSG’s 2-run win over RR

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 156/2 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, dismissing 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 178/5 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 IPL’s youngest player Vaibhav Suryavanshi (34 off 20 balls) made an instant impact on his debut as the left-handed opening duo stitched 85 runs in 8.4 overs in an rollicking partnership.

Earlier, Aiden Markram and Ayush Badoni struck half centuries to help LSG recover from initial batting slump and post a competitive 180/5.

Markram (66 off 45 balls) and Badoni (50 off 34 balls) stitched 76 runs for the fourth wicket to resurrect the LSG innings after they were reduced to 54/3 in the eighth over. Abdul Samad then played a cameo of 30 not out off just 10 balls down the order, hitting four sixes in the final over bowled by Sandeep Sharma. For RR, Wanindu Hasaranga (2/31) was the most successful bowler while Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande and Sandeep Sharma took one wicket apiece.

Brief scores: Lucknow Super Giants: 180/5 in 20 overs (Markram 66, Badoni 50, Samad 30*; Hasaranga 2/31); Rajasthan Royals: 178/5 in 20 overs (Jaiswal 74, Parag 39, Suryavanshi 34; Avesh 3/37).

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