/sky247-english/media/agency_attachments/u8Dd4hyaH0mQGXmyg0Eo.png)
/sky247-english/media/media_files/oXHoxgPA7CrylmMTcwp1.jpg)
Follow Us/sky247-english/media/post_banners/VoqRrzW3qcGxs98N3pE4.jpg)
Venkatesh Prasad and KL Rahul, IPL 2023 (Source: Twitter)
In one of the most shocking losses of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, the Lucknow Super Giants fell to the Gujarat Titans after failing to chase down a target of 136 despite needing 30 runs to win off the final six overs and having eight wickets in hand at one stage. Following the loss, LSG captain KL Rahul's strike rate has come under even more criticism. Rahul fell after scoring 68 points off of 61 balls.
/sky247-english/media/media_files/L36rCpmHRJkAgRgNCcLd.jpg)
Rahul got 30 runs off his first 12 balls but then severely slowed down, managing only 18 runs off his final 23 deliveries. After the 13th over, LSG played the remaining 7 overs without scoring a single boundary. The LSG captain said that he was unaware of what transpired or how his team came to lose the match.
'We lost 2 points today; this is cricket' - KL Rahul
"I don't know how it happened, but it has happened. I can't put a finger on where it went wrong, but we lost 2 points today; this is cricket," he said. Rahul said that he, in fact, wasn't looking to take the game deep. "We were well ahead in the game, and I wasn't really trying to bat deep; I still wanted to play my shots, take on the bowlers, but they bowled well in that 2-3 over period by Noor and Jayant. We perhaps should have taken a few more chances with wickets in hand," he said.
Venkatesh Prasad, a former fast bowler for India, was blunt in his criticism of Rahul on Twitter. "Bottling a run chase when 30 needed off 35 balls with 9 wickets in hand requires some baffling batting. Happened with Punjab in 2020 on a few occasions losing games they should have won easily. As brilliant as Guj were with ball & Hardik smart with his captaincy, brainless from Lko," he said. Regarding Rahul's selection in the Indian Test team before his dismissal as vice-captain and expulsion from the team, Prasad has recently been quite scathing of Rahul.
Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh, two former India players, too commented on the astounding outcome. While Sehwag only expressed amazement at the change in fortune, Harbhajan poked fun at his old teammate Ashish Nehra, the Gujarat Titans' head coach.