Shardul Thakur Shines in IPL as Lucknow Super Giants Defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad
Shardul Thakur's Stellar Performance
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 28: After the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) triumphed over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa praised pacer Shardul Thakur's remarkable performance. Despite being overlooked in the auctions, Thakur's impressive display in the Indian Premier League (IPL) following his domestic success is commendable.
In a thrilling match at Uppal Stadium, Hyderabad, Shardul showcased his skills by achieving his best figures in the league, taking 4 wickets for 34 runs. He stepped in as a replacement for Mohsin Khan and made an immediate impact, dismissing Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan early in his spell.
Uthappa remarked, "They say all's well that ends well, and Shardul embodies that sentiment. His absence from the auction was surprising; he deserved to be picked at a good price. The auction dynamics can be unpredictable, and it's baffling that he went unsold. Nevertheless, he took it in stride, returned to first-class cricket, and excelled. To come back to the IPL and perform like this is remarkable," said the Jiostar expert.
He continued, "In the previous match against Delhi Capitals, he demonstrated that while he may concede runs, he consistently finds ways to take wickets. Even when he appears expensive, his ability to secure breakthroughs makes him invaluable. I believe he should have bowled more in the first game, where he only bowled two overs. This time, I'm pleased he completed his full quota of four overs."
In the match, LSG opted to bowl first, putting SRH to bat. Shardul's early efforts restricted SRH to 15/2, but a solid 61-run partnership between Travis Head (47 runs off 28 balls, including five fours and a six) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (32 runs off 28 balls, with two fours) helped stabilize the innings. Contributions from Heinrich Klaasen (26 runs off 17 balls, with two fours and a six), Aniket Varma (36 runs off 13 balls, hitting five sixes), and skipper Pat Cummins (18 runs off four balls, with three sixes) propelled SRH to a total of 190/9 in their 20 overs.
During the chase, LSG lost Aiden Markram early, but a remarkable 116-run partnership between Nicholas Pooran (70 runs off 26 balls, with six fours and six sixes) and Mitchell Marsh (52 runs off 31 balls, with seven fours and two sixes), along with a late cameo from Abdul Samad (22* runs off eight balls, with two fours and two sixes), led LSG to a five-wicket victory with 23 balls remaining. Pat Cummins was the standout bowler for SRH, taking 2 wickets for 29 runs.
For his outstanding performance, Shardul was awarded the 'Player of the Match.'