Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) survived a late fightback from Tim David (40 off 17 balls) to beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by nine runs in their IPL 2026 match at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Thursday. Prince Yadav picked up three wickets as LSG defended their total in a rain-hit 19-overs-a-side game. RCB were chasing 213 under the DLS method.RCB needed 20 runs in the final over, but Digvesh Rathi gave away only 10 runs to seal the win for LSG.It was a much-needed win for LSG after six straight losses this season and eight consecutive defeats at home. Even after the win, they remained at No. 10 in the points table, but there was some relief in the camp.RCB, meanwhile, missed the chance to move to the top of the table.This was also LSG’s first win in five matches in Lucknow this season and their first victory against RCB at the Ekana Stadium in three attempts.It was RCB’s first defeat while chasing in five matches this season, while LSG registered their first win while defending a total in five games.Earlier, Mitchell Marsh scored a century as repeated rain interruptions affected LSG’s innings and they posted 209/3.Three rain breaks delayed the game by close to an hour before the match was reduced to 19 overs per side.Marsh scored 111 off 56 balls and added 95 runs for the opening wicket with Arshin Kulkarni (17). He then put on another 70 runs with Nicholas Pooran (38). Captain Rishabh Pant later scored 32 not out off just 10 balls.Marsh started attacking from the beginning and hit boundaries and sixes all around the ground. His innings included nine fours and nine sixes.With LSG needing a win badly to stay alive in the playoff race, Marsh attacked the RCB bowlers from the start after LSG were asked to bat first.Josh Hazlewood faced most of the early attack as Marsh hit two straight sixes over his head before adding three boundaries in the same spell.LSG reached 95/0 in nine overs before the first rain interruption stopped play for around 30 minutes. After the restart, Krunal Pandya dismissed Kulkarni.Nicholas Pooran then got going quickly with two boundaries off Rasikh, while Marsh reached his century with consecutive fours before hitting another six over cover point just before rain stopped play again.Marsh was dropped by Devdutt Padikkal on 110 but could not make the most of it as he was later caught at deep point off Hazlewood.After Marsh’s dismissal, Pant took over and hit four fours and two sixes in his quick unbeaten knock.Chasing the total, RCB were limited to 203 for six with Prince Yadav (3/33) and Shahbaz Ahmed (2/33) sharing wickets for LSG.Skipper Rajat Patidar was the highest scorer for RCB with a 31-ball 61.For RCB, Krunal Pandya (1/31) and Josh Hazlewood (1/49) claimed a wicket each.
