Records galore for Lucknow as Mayers, Pooran, Stoinis slay Punjab

The 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been the most prolific run-scoring season in the history of the tournament. It has already witnessed 19 scores of more than 200 runs this season in just 38 matches, one more than the total achieved in the 2022 edition of IPL. 

Lucknow Super Giants on Friday, at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali made a sheer mockery of the Punjab Kings attack as they bludgeoned the 19th 200-plus score this season. But eventually tally reached by the KL Rahul-led side turned out to be a record figure. 

Teams batting first have notched up more wins in IPL 2023 than the chasing team, yet the dew factor remains the central aspect when captains arrive for toss. PBKS skipper Shikhar Dhawan must have felt the same when chose to bowl first on his return from injury in the home match against PBKS. But LSG had other plans. Their aggressive batting throughout the innings - from Kyle Mayers, Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran - ensured that the visitors set an improbable target to nullify the dew factor.

After LSG skipper Rahul survived a scare and managed only two runs in the opening over, Mayers decided to take on PBKS's star bowler Arshdeep Singh and then newbie Gurnoor Brar, smashing the two pacers for 26 runs in 11 deliveries. Kagiso Rabada pulled one back for Punjab in his return game as he dismissed the skipper for 12 off 9, but demolition act from Mayers, against the new ball, continued before he was dismissed by the South African pacer for 54 off 24 in the final delivery of the powerplay.

Young Ayush Badoni and Marcus Stoinis carried the momentum even as fielding restrictions were removed as the pair added an entertaining 89-run stand. Badoni smashed three sixes and as many boundaries in his 24-ball 43. Pooran joined the act next as LSG witnessed another blitzkrieg knock. Stoinis and Pooran added 76 runs together with the Aussie dominating the proceedings with his knock of 72 runs off 40 deliveries, laced with six boundaries and five maximums. Pooran, on other hand, scored 45 off 19 as LSG finished with 257 for five in 20 overs.

It is the second highest team total in IPL history with Lucknow falling short of the long-standing feat by just seven runs. Royal Challengers Bangalore's 263 for five, scored against Pune Warriors in IPL 2013, remains an IPL record till date. The innings also witnessed 27 fours and 14 maximums, summing up to a boundary count of 41, which is the second highest in an IPL innings, falling short of 42 boundaries in that 2013 RCB total.

257 for five is also the highest ever scored by a team against the Punjab franchise in IPL history, surpassing the previous best of 245 for six owned by Kolkata Knight Riders during their 2018 match in Indore. The score is also the highest at the Mohali ground, going past 240 for five notched up by Chennai Super Kings in 2008 against Punjab.