In the sixth, and third matches, RR batted first to set a target of 178 for the loss of six wickets, and in reply, LSG fought well but failed to take the match along. As a result, LSG lost the game by 24 runs. After the dismissal of de Kock and Rahul, Hooda’s Innings was a fabulous knock of 59. Initially, it was a success of LSG to restrict their opponent in such a changeable score, specifically when it’s RR.
From the very first over, de Kock and Rahul were playing defensively. But, unlike other days, even Rahul, the second-highest scorer of the league, faced trouble while Boult was bowling. Although Boult was bowling spectacularly well this day, his inswingers, followed by the outswingers, are tough to play at first over.
At the first ball of the next over, it was some relief for de Kock. He had driven Prasidh straight down the ground. But Rahul was either leaving or merely connecting the ball. He was visibly uncomfortable today, awestruck in many deliveries.
Boult got his man – de Kock was caught straight away on the first delivery of the next over. Badoni’s dismissal followed it, and Boult was outdone with a brilliant inswinger. Then, after Barony, it was Hooda getting in the middle. The first few overs – if they could be tackled well – the victory could be Rahul’s. But he and his men could not keep control. Unlike the other days, they hardly had any idea what they were doing.
The fifth over found the batters completely helpless, and visibly they weren’t able to score. Only one run came through the above, and the pressure was on. In the sixth round, Rahul wanted to release the tension to a maximum, but just on the next delivery, Prasidh got the last laugh after the battle was over. Jaiswal caught Rahul.
After Rahul’s dismissal, Pandya was in the middle, and it was not that the air changed. Ashwin only allowed six singles between Hooda and him even on the eight over. However, Hooda got a stroke against McCoy in the fourth ball of the ninth through. And in the tenth over, Ashwin, the experienced veteran, allowed only five runs – one extra.
Visibly, the first ten overs went in the name of RR, tremendously dominating their opponent even when the best batters were there. It’s sheer brilliance to have them departed. Hooda was hammering them for an over boundary in the first couple of deliveries, followed by an edge. The next over was again tight – Hooda only could have managed to get through a single boundary against Ashwin.
The next couple of overs were again barren for LSG, and Ashwin cleared off Pandya. Hooda got his fifty in the fifteenth over with an edgy four and a couple. In the next over, after having Chahal cut for a boundary, he was stumped by Samson at the back of the wicket. After Hooda’s dismissal, the match was already in RR’s pocket.
Online fantasy cricket fans, who are LSG supporters, would be dismayed to have seen Hooda fighting but failing to get any assistance to contact his team towards victory. But fantasy cricket fans would never hope to lose him from their team, for Hooda has been the third-highest half-century getter this season – along with Rahul, Livingston, and Gill, he has been in spectacular form this year. Every player is of intense importance to the players of the game, they have to think carefully about every aspect when selecting their players.
