Mark Wood’s five-wicket haul leads Lucknow Super Giants to a resounding victory against Delhi Capitals

Lucknow Super Giants dominated Delhi Capitals in Match 3 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with a comprehensive victory at the Ekana Cricket Stadium. The star of the match was Mark Wood, who bagged his first-ever IPL fifer in only his second IPL match, leading LSG to a 50-run victory over DC.

Mark Wood Claims maiden fifer in IPL

Wood’s opening burst was lethal and destructive for Delhi Capitals, as he rattled their top order with three wickets in his first two overs. Prithvi Shaw, Mitchell Marsh, and Sarfaraz Khan were all dismissed by Wood in his opening spell, leaving DC in a precarious position. With Wood’s exceptional bowling, DC were unable to make a comeback and eventually finished at 143 for 9.

Kyle Mayers’ Superb Knock

LSG’s debutant Kyle Mayers proved to be an asset for the team with his remarkable 73 runs. He hit seven sixes in his 38-ball knock, which largely contributed to the solid total of 193/6 in 20 overs. Mayers took advantage of the opportunity given to him due to Quinton de Kock’s absence and played with great determination and skill.

DC’s bowlers struggled to find their momentum throughout the match, conceding 16 sixes to LSG. While they enjoyed a good bowling powerplay, the momentum slipped out of their grasp too many times. LSG took advantage of DC’s inconsistency and maintained the momentum with Nicholas Pooran (36 off 21 balls) and Krunal Pandya (15 not out off 13 balls).

The last five overs produced 66 runs for LSG, with Pooran and Ayush Badoni (18 off 7 balls, including 2 sixes) using their long handles to good effect. Impact Substitute Krishnappa Gowtham’s last-ball six yielded 22 runs from the 20th over bowled by Chetan Sakariya (2/53).

LSG’s Initial Struggle

LSG initially struggled with DC’s bowlers making full use of the tricky Ekana wicket. It took LSG openers, KL Rahul and Mayers, 16 balls to get going and hit their first boundary. They were reduced to 19/1 inside four overs when left-arm pacer Sakariya dismissed Rahul. However, things soon turned in LSG’s favour after Khaleel Ahmed dropped a catch off Mayers in the last over of the powerplay.

Mayers took advantage of the dropped catch and unleashed his fury against debutant Mukesh Kumar, smashing him for two massive sixes in the very next over. There was no stopping Mayers as he continued his assault on DC’s frontline spinners Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, hitting seven sixes and two fours.

Wood and Ravi Bishnoi (2/31 in 4 overs) bowled exceptionally well in dew-laden conditions, making it difficult for DC’s batsmen. Wood’s five-wicket haul and Bishnoi’s impact ensured LSG’s victory over DC.

LSG’s First Home Game Victory

This was LSG’s first-ever home game victory since joining IPL last year. Their exceptional performance against DC has set a good precedent for the rest of their matches in the IPL 2023 season.

This dominant performance by the Lucknow Super Giants, led by Mark Wood’s fiery spell and Kyle Mayers’ explosive batting display. The English pacer proved to be too hot to handle for the Delhi Capitals batsmen, with his three-wicket burst in the first two overs setting the tone for the match. Mayers, on the other hand, grabbed his opportunity with both hands and produced a scintillating innings that included seven sixes, making the most of Quinton de Kock’s absence from the team. With this win, the Lucknow franchise announced their arrival in style in their first home game of the season.