Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) batsman Marcus Stoinis brought out his brutal best in the death overs against the Mumbai Indians on Tuesday night in Lucknow and produced a flurry of fours and sixes against the MI bowlers that propelled LSG’s score to an above-par 177, which, on this pitch, will take a giant effort from the MI batters to chase down.
Today, Marcus Stoinis record his IPL best score of 89*, which he scored from 47 balls with the help of 4 fours and 8 jaw-dropping six.
Chris Jordan faced the wrath of Stoinis’ brutal power in the 18th over of LSG’s innings when the Australian smashed the Englishman for 24 runs in an over, with 3 fours and 2 eye-catching sixes.
He started the over with a terrific six down the ground; it was an ordinary length ball from Jordan that angled into the batter who thumped it down the ground. Stoinis brought up his fifty with that six, but more mayhem was to follow.
Jordan went short and onto leg-stump to which he swiveled and easily guided it for a boundary wide of short fine. Expectedly, Jordan corrected himself and bowled outside off-stump. But the batter was ready for it and dispatched it over the point fielder for a four.
Jordan next went for the yorker, but Marcus Stoinis, standing deep in his crease, picked up the low full toss and muscled it over long-on for a six. The bowler could manage a wry smile on his face. The last ball was again a poor ball from Jordan: short and on leg-stump which Stoinis hit for a four in fine leg region. This time there was no smile and just frustration reflecting from the pacer.
Watch: Marcus Stoinis hammers Chris Jordan for 24 runs in an over
After his knock, Marcus Stoinis said at the mid-innings break: “It’s hot out here, burnt a few calories. Wasn’t thinking about the gloves when I was batting. Krunal (Pandya) gave me some company (before he got retired hurt). It wasn’t the easiest of wickets, but if you give yourself some time, it does get easier (to bat).”
Earlier, Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to field first in Lucknow.
Teams:
Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Deepak Hooda, Prerak Mankad, Krunal Pandya(c), Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Naveen-ul-Haq, Ravi Bishnoi, Swapnil Singh, Mohsin Khan
Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Ishan Kishan(w), Cameron Green, Suryakumar Yadav, Nehal Wadhera, Tim David, Hrithik Shokeen, Chris Jordan, Piyush Chawla, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal
