Live blog - IPL 2024 - LSG vs RR - Rahul, Hooda take LSG to 196

13m ago

RR 37 for 0 after four overs. Two sixes have been hit - one each by Buttler and Jaiswal - and each with a specialty of its own. When Jaiswal hoicked Matt Henry across the line off the fourth ball of the chase, a full delivery was sent over mid-on. There was no foot movement, but rather just a clearing of the front foot as if it were instead a length ball.

Then Buttler got into Henry in the third. Out came the scoop for six over short fine leg.

27.68 The percentage of chance which our forecaster gives RR for their chase of 197.

Meanwhile, Jos Buttler walks out to bat despite staying off the field after hurting his finger while fielding. But given it was an external injury, he is allowed to walk out right away. However, if that injury hampers his innings in any way or not remains to be seen.

45m ago

The last five matches this season produced totals of 210, 224, 206, 261 and 257. But LSG finally break that run to finish on 196. Avesh, Boult and Sandeep allowed only 25 off the last three overs, as Ekana Stadium continues to see sub-200 totals.

57m ago

Ashwin bowls the first of the remaining four overs, and concedes five wides first ball. The over goes for 15, including a reverse-swept four by Ayush Badoni.

But Avesh Khan strikes next over, having Rahul caught at deep third for 76 off 48 balls. The next ball is a near yorker to new batter Krunal Pandya, before a misfield by Boult allows Badoni two. Having bowled the fifth ball, Avesh rushes back to his mark, possibly because RR are slow on over rate. It's all happening. LSG 178 for 5 after 18.

1h ago

Pooran picked four runs off as many balls against Chahal tonight. Leading into the game, though, he struck at 170 at an average of 123 against the legspinner. RR will be pleased Chahal's spell ended within 14 overs.

Before today, Pooran's strike rate against Avesh Khan was 154, against Sandeep it was 150, and off Boult it was 172.

But, but... RR will note that Ashwin has kept Pooran quiet in T20s. Three dismissals in 40 balls, and just 35 runs. However, Pooran took Ashwin for five off the three balls he faced from the offspinner, including a boundary.

But oh, I had no intention of jinxing Pooran, though! First ball of the 16th over, Sandeep banged one short and Pooran pulled straight to deep square leg. LSG 150 for 4 at 15.1 overs. Pooran gone for 11.

1h ago

With Rahul and Hooda having added 115, Samson brought Ashwin back. The offspinner, who had only a solitary wicket this season, went for the carrom ball. Hooda, on 50 and full of confidence, skipped down and lofted, but found long-on to end LSG's highest partnership in their three seasons of IPL.

Rahul, though, is firm on 63 after pinching two off the last ball. The threatening Nicholas Pooran has joined him. LSG after 135 for 3 after 13. Our forecaster gives them 217 from here.

1h ago

Another expensive over for RR. Boult leaks 18 in the 11th over, which includes five wides. But Deepak Hooda also smashes two back-to-back boundaries: the first one driven through extra cover, and the next punched to deep backward point.

Even the ball which went went for wides would have been four, as Hooda attempted to ramp Boult, but the ball was too high. LSG 112 for 2 after 11.

1h ago

Rahul played a pick-up shot for six to attack Avesh Khan in the eighth over. Off the fifth ball, Avesh delivered a high full toss finishing on leg stump, which Rahul deposited over fine leg. Six, and a free hit to Rahul, with the delivery being too high.

KL Rahul entered this match having got 61 runs off 48 balls against Ashwin across all T20s. The strike rate was a decent 127, but that one-on-one included only one dismissal. In the fifth over, Ashwin's second ball to Rahul produced a leading edge this evening, but the fourth delivery was swiped to fine leg, with Rahul losing his balance and falling over - almost like a mirror image of Rishabh Pant!

RR replace Ashwin with Yuzvendra Chahal to start the seventh over. LSG 46 for 2 after the powerplay.

2h ago

6 Number of times Quinton de Kock has fallen to left-arm pace this season.

Trent Boult (twice), and Arshdeep, Mustafizur, Khaleel and Topley have all got him once each.

de Kock averages only 14.16 against left-arm pace this season. In Lucknow tonight, the first ball is edged beyond second slip for four, and the second clipped through deep square leg. But Boult swings the third one back in, and finds the gap between bat and pad to clean de Kock up!

Meanwhile, Sandeep Sharma returns with the new ball, and ends up bowling Marcus Stoinis, LSG's centurion from the previous game. RR on top, as LSG are 11 for 2 after two overs.

8.08 The rate at which RR's bowlers have given away runs in the powerplay this season - the best among all teams.

RR's average of 27.71 in that period is the second-best, and just so - Gujarat Titans, the leaders, are at 27.11. With that comes another piece of good news for RR: LSG's batting average of 29.07 in the powerplay this year is the lowest among all teams. Bingo!

3h ago

At the start of the season, RR were deemed to have the most potent spin attack this season - Ashwin, Chahal and Zampa. But Zampa pulled out, even as RR brought in Keshav Maharaj to actually replace Prasidh Krishna. But RR's spinners have averaged 32.76 this season - the third lowest - and have struck 17 times.

But only one of those wickets has gone to R Ashwin, who has bowled 27 overs. His average reads an astronomical 240. But if LSG serve up a spin-friendly pitch, could Ashwin utilise it in his favour too?

LSG and RR have faced each other three times. But interestingly, none of those meetings happened in Lucknow. So today it's all about what the Nawabs serve their visitors with - black soil, or red?

Jos Buttler b Yash Thakur 34 (18b 4x4 1x6) SR: 188.88