Punjab Kings dominated the Lucknow Super Giants on their home turf, winning by 8 wickets. The match was played at the Ekana International Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. After the game, LSG mentor Zaheer Khan expressed his disappointment with the pitch, saying it seemed like the curator was working for Punjab.
The LSG team struggled early on, losing 3 wickets for just 35 runs. But Nicholas Pooran and Ayush Badoni stepped up with 44 and 41 runs respectively, helping the team reach a total of 171. However, Punjab Kings had no trouble chasing down the target, achieving it in just 16.2 overs. Prabhsimran Singh scored 69 runs and was named player of the match, while Shreyas Iyer added 52 runs.
Zaheer Khan’s comments on the pitch sparked attention. He said, “you’ve seen teams have a home advantage in the IPL. The curator is not thinking that it’s a home game, it looked like it was a Punjab curator out here in Lucknow.” This statement, though said with a hint of humor, revealed his frustration with the pitch.
Looking ahead, LSG has several upcoming matches:
- April 4 – vs Mumbai Indians
- April 12 – vs Gujarat Titans
- April 14 – vs Chennai Super Kings
- April 22 – vs Delhi Capitals
- May 9 – vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
- May 18 – vs Sunrisers Hyderabad
As the tournament progresses, LSG will need to adapt to different pitches and opponents to bounce back from this loss.