Lucknow Super Giants suffer eight-wicket loss to Punjab Kings as home campaign starts on a sour note; Pant cites early wickets and pitch misjudgment as key factors.
Lucknow, April 2: After a disappointing start to their home campaign, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper Rishabh Pant admitted that his team fell short by 20-25 runs in their eight-wicket loss to Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Ekana Stadium on Tuesday. This was LSG’s first home game of the season, and the hosts failed to deliver both with the bat and the ball.
Pant, speaking at the post-match presentation, said,
“It was not enough, we were 20-25 runs short, but that’s part and parcel of the game. Still assessing the conditions at our home ground. It is always going to be difficult to get a big total when you lose early wickets… but each and every player is trying hard to take the game forward.”
💥 LSG’s Stuttering Start
LSG were jolted early after being asked to bat first. Reduced to 35/3, the hosts depended heavily on a 44-run blitz from Nicholas Pooran, supported by Ayush Badoni (41) and a fiery 27 off 12 from Abdul Samad to reach a modest 171/7.
Despite a slow surface, Pant revealed that the team had intentionally aimed for a pitch to suit their strength.
“The idea was to get a slow wicket. I think the slower balls were sticking in. We’ve got to learn from this game and move forward.”
🏏 PBKS Turn On the Heat
PBKS lost Priyansh Arya early, but Prabhsimran Singh’s 69 off 34 balls, Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 52 off 30, and Nehal Wadhera’s 43 off 25* saw them chase down the target in just 16.2 overs, handing LSG a humbling loss in front of their home crowd.
LSG’s only highlight with the ball was debutant Digvesh Singh Rathi, who finished with 2/30 from his four overs.
📊 Where Things Stand
- Punjab Kings have now climbed to second spot on the points table with two wins from two matches.
- Lucknow Super Giants, with one win and two losses, have slipped to sixth.
Despite the setback, Pant chose to remain positive:
“There are a lot of positives, cannot say much. We just need to learn and bounce back.”
Can LSG regroup and rediscover their rhythm before their next clash? All eyes will be on Pant & Co. as they look to bounce back and give their home fans something to cheer for.