Lucknow Super Giants captain and opener, KL Rahul, has had a topsy-turvy start to his IPL 2022 campaign with the bat. In 5 innings, he’s bagged two golden ducks but also has played two crucial innings of 40 and 68 resulting in wins for his side.
The star India opener was getting heavily trolled on social media on Sunday evening as Rajasthan Royals‘ Trent Boult handed Rahul his second golden duck of the season with a thunderbolt; Gujarat Titans‘ Mohammed Shami had dismissed Rahul for a first-ball duck earlier.
Boult, known for his vicious swing movement early with the new ball, came round the wicket to Rahul right from the first ball. He swung the ball in to the batter. Rahul planted his front foot forward-looking to cover for the inward movement and tried to flick the ball on the leg-side – but missed it completely as the ball, continuing on its inward trajectory, then went through his bat and pad gap, crashing into the wicket, uprooting the leg-stump out of the ground and sending it for a toss!
Rahul was left in an awkward position, not even willing to see behind the mess of his stumps – which reminded the fans of the T20 World Cup game versus Pakistan when Shaheen Afridi castled Rahul leaving the right-hander startled.
You can watch KL Rahul’s dismissal to Trent Boult here:
Kl Rahul out on a golden duck ????????????#LSGvRR #IPL2022 #KKRvsDC #IPL pic.twitter.com/N5jOesAmVW
— ???? ????? (@AmitKum50993580) April 10, 2022
After Rahul’s wicket, Boult then dismissed lbw Krishnappa Gowtham also for a golden duck. In the chase of 166, LSG remained alive till the last over, with Quinton de Kock scoring 39, followed by 20s from Krunal and Hooda, and finally, it was Marcus Stoinis who threatened to take the game in LSG’s favour, but debutant youngster Kuldeep Sen kept his cool to defend 15 runs in the last over as RR won by a slender margin of 3 runs.
Speaking after the game about his dismissal, KL Rahul simply put it: “I didn’t see it (the ball), otherwise would’ve put bat on it. Was a good ball, got to give it to Boult,” defining Boult’s magic with the new ball.
KL Rahul, who is also India’s first-choice T20I opener, was getting plenty of flak and was trolled in spates after his first-ball duck vs RR.
It has to be noted that it was for the first time that KL Rahul’s rumored girlfriend Athiya Shetty, along with her father Suniel Shetty and their family members came to the Wankhede to cheer for KL Rahul and his team Lucknow Super Giants. Netizens started a meme-fest on social media after Rahul was dismissed cheaply.
Here are some of the best reactions to KL Rahul’s golden duck:
Trent Boult bhai Athiya Shetty ka lihaaz to krletaa ?
— Sunny Rana ? (@SunnySaidHigh) April 10, 2022
Kl bhai ki toh izzat utar gayi hogi aaj athiya shetty jo aayi hai dekhne ?
— ßanna. #LSG (@iJaideep_) April 10, 2022
Athiya Shetty mouthing: “it’s just one game” ??????
— kavya cj ? (@kavyacj) April 10, 2022
Badi tamanna se athiya shetty aur sunil shetty aaye the
Shayad sunil dada ne kaha hoga ki agar kl 100 banata hai to teri shadi pakki— Himanshu bagdi (@himanshubagdi18) April 10, 2022
Already 2 ducks for KL Rahul in this IPL.
— ` (@FourOverthrows) April 10, 2022
Feel for kl Rahul. Got out for a golden duck right in front of his future wife and father in law.
— Traumatized CSK Fan (@ashutosh0716) April 10, 2022
Sunil shetty to his daughter :
Kya ladke ko pasand ki ho … Do do baar golden duck … Agar iss season Orange cap ya Cup nhi jitha toh shadi cancel !!?#LSGvRR #KLRahul pic.twitter.com/rNJkH5kDaN
— Göüŕäv_7 (@JhawarGourav7) April 10, 2022
This KL Rahul duck shouldn’t distract you from his wonderful captaincy today.
He is a really calm captain does his job silently.— Cricket ? Lover // Bumrah IT Cell. (@CricCrazyV) April 10, 2022
Trent Boult You Beauty ??
KL Rahul OUT On A Golden Duck ?
— Dr Khushboo ?? (@khushbookadri) April 10, 2022
