IPL 2022: Combo of slow stuff, yorkers did the trick - Lucknow Super Giants' Avesh Khan

LSG’s Avesh Khan celebrates after dismissing SRH’s Kane Williamson on Monday. PIC/BCCI; IPL

Taking the pace off the ball in the initial six-over Powerplay and then executing bowling of yorkers well towards the later stages of the Sunrisers Hyderabad run chase helped him get crucial wickets, said man of the match Avesh Khan after Lucknow Super Giants' 12-run victory here on Monday night.

Indore-born pacer Avesh picked up his IPL-best haul of 4-24, by packing off SRH openers Abhishek Sharma and captain Kane Williamson in his first two overs.

He then came back to dismiss wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran (34 in 24 balls) and Abdul Samad in successive balls to virtually stop the Hyderabad franchise's pursuit of LSG's 169-7.

Jason Holder shines too

Tall West Indian all-rounder Jason Holder, in his first match of the season, then dismissed three batsmen including Washington Sundar (18) who added 48 runs for the fifth wicket with Pooran, in the last over as SRH finished on 157-9, thus slumping to their second straight defeat in as many games.

It was LSG's second victory in three matches and took them to the fifth spot on the table. "My plan was to bowl yorkers. I concentrated on execution, got two wickets in two balls which brought us back into the game and then we won it too. I don't see myself as the team's main bowler and bring on pressure on myself. I only focus on getting wickets for the team," Avesh said after the match.

"I wanted to give wickets in Powerplay phase and slog over phase. I also noticed that slower balls were working well in the first innings, so I thought I would do that as a variation in Powerplay," he said after LSG's second win on the trot.

SRH coach Moody upset

SRH head coach Tom Moody rued the loss as he felt that the target was gettable and they were well poised to reach it till the last three overs. "We had today's game in our hands. We should have won the game, with three overs to go, two set batsmen [Pooran and Washington] at the crease, with a tick over 10 [runs] an over to go. The real difference between the two teams was our ability to finish our last three overs as compared to their ability to finish their last three overs," said Moody.

Moody, however, defended his batting lot and said it did better than in their lost opener against Rajasthan Royals at Pune. "Our batting was a considerable improvement to the first game. We are just two games into the IPL."

07
No. of wickets claimed by Avesh Khan in three matches this season