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Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) put up a commanding batting performance after Josh Inglis and Mitchell Marsh led a blistering top-order charge to set up a big total against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash in Jaipur on Tuesday.
Despite a brief fightback from the RR bowlers, LSG maintained their momentum through the innings to post a strong 220/5, with key contributions across the batting order. After being asked to bat first, LSG got off to a strong start as openers Josh Inglis and Mitchell Marsh powered the side to 38/0 within the first three overs. The momentum continued through the power play, with a steady flow of boundaries taking LSG to 83/0 at the end of six overs. The total also marked their fourth-highest power play score of the 2026 season (overs 1-6). In the first ball of the seventh over, Inglis brought up his half-century off just 30 deliveries, registering his third career fifty in the tournament. The opening pair then brought up a 100-run partnership in the final delivery of the eighth over, putting LSG in a dominant position at 105/0. However, RR bowler Yash Raj Punja provided the breakthrough, dismissing Inglis, who was clean bowled for a 29-ball 60, an innings featuring seven fours and three sixes, during the second ball of the ninth over. The wicket also ended the impressive 109-run opening stand, bringing a crucial halt to the Super Giants' flying start. The 109-run opening stand between Inglis and Marsh was also the second-highest partnership for LSG against RR for any wicket after the 115-run third wicket stand between KL Rahul and Deepak Hooda at Lucknow in 2024. After the conclusion of the 10th over, the visitors reached 127/1. During the second ball of the 11th over, Mitchell Marsh brought up a well-deserved half-century off just 25 deliveries. In the 13th over, the Royals bowler Yashasvi Jaiswal struck again, picking up his second wicket by dismissing Nicholas Pooran for 16 runs. The wicket also ended the 42-run partnership between Marsh and Pooran. Despite the breakthrough, Lucknow continued to score freely, reaching 165/2 at the end of 15 overs. After the end of the 18th over, LSG crossed the 200-run mark as skipper Rishabh Pant and Marsh stitched a valuable 50-run partnership for the third wicket. During the final over of the innings, captain Pant was run out for a 23-ball 35, an innings featuring two fours and two sixes, and Marsh was also run out after playing a fantastic knock of 96 off 57 balls, with the help of 11 fours and five sixes as the visitors scored 220/5. For RR, Yash Raj Punja (2/35) scalped two wickets, and Archer (1/39) took one wicket. (ANI)
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