IPL 2022: Match 63, LSG vs RR – Full List of Award Winners, Player of the Match, Who Said What

The Rajasthan Royals registered a much-needed win over the Lucknow Super Giants in Match 63 of IPL 2022 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. The victory has helped Rajasthan in inching closer to a playoff berth as they are now in the safe zone with 16 points to their tally with one game left.

RR skipper Sanju Samson won the toss and elected to bat first. In-form Jos Buttler was dismissed cheaply for two after which Samson and youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal were involved in a 64-run stand. While Samson scored 32 runs from 24 deliveries, Jaiswal top-scored with a 29-ball 41. Devdutt Padikkal also contributed with 39 runs and finishing touches from Ravichandran Ashwin (10*) and Trent Boult (17*) helped Rajasthan in posting a competitive total of 178/6. Leggie Ravi Bishnoi finished with figures of 2/31 while Avesh Khan, Jason Holder, and Ayush Badoni finished with a scalp each.

LSG once again get carried away by the scoreboard pressure

In reply, LSG lost their top-order cheaply including captain KL Rahul, after which Krunal Pandya and Deepak Hooda carried out the rescue act with a 65-run stand for the fourth wicket. Once Krunal was dismissed,  Hooda single-handedly anchored the chase before he perished in the 16th over while trying to match up with the steep asking rate.

Towards the end, Marcus Stoinis did play a cameo of 27 runs off 17 balls, but it was not enough as LSG were eventually restricted to 154/8. The pace trio of Trent Boult (2/18), Prasidh Krishna (2/32), and Obed McCoy (2/35) decimated the LSG batting line-up while the frontline spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal picked up one wicket apiece.

Losing skipper, KL Rahul said:

“I thought it was a gettable target. Good pitch, obviously something there with the new ball. We bowled well to restrict them to that total. We backed ourselves but we couldn’t execute. Once again the batting group hasn’t been able to perform collectively. We need to go back and work on it. Pune was a lot more harder and lot more in the pitch there than this one. When you lose wickets early it puts pressure on you. We have lost three-four games in the powerplay as a batting unit. Make sure you find a way to stay in there when you play quality bowlers and give a good start. I don’t think we are going to do anything different. Just about going out there and executing. Obviously in pressure you want to do one thing but you end up doing something else. If we can hold our nerves and give ourselves a chance to play the new ball or a good spell. If you get through that spell you always have enough time to make up. We’ve got power in our batting line, so it is just about playing smart when the bowlers are bowling a good spell.”

Winning skipper, Sanju Samson said:

“We have been taking some good decisions. It is very hard to maintain a chilled out atmosphere when things don’t go your way. Credit to the boys. You keep on losing here and there. We want to go out there and express ourselves as a batting unit. We have a quality bowling line up to defend. Last game also, Ashwin did well. Sometimes you take decisions and look bad when you lose. We can control the intensity. Neesham brought some amazing energy on to the field. There is some bonus for having some quality spinners. We can use them any time. I know a lot of Tamil. I have friends and I watch a lot of Tamil movies. Each and everyone went out there and showed some intent despite playing a batter short. You can’t really think much in this format, you just go out and express.”

Player of the Match, Trent Boult said:

“Some days better than others. Nice to get wickets at the top. I have got a simple game with the ball. Good catch from Neesham. The boys did talk about some intensity as this was a crucial game for us. I am surprised that I am talking about my batting in a press conference. We can bring our right attitude and chase a ball. I think this is a tough place to bowl. I am enjoying here at a new franchise. A great opportunity.”