Mukul knocks the lights out of Knight Riders, steals a three-wicket win for Super Giants

Mukul Choudhary made his mark at the iconic Eden Gardens as his blazing half-century knocked the lights out of Kolkata Knight Riders and helped Lucknow Super Giants pull off an incredible three-wicket win on Thursday night. It was a night which the Knight Riders would be in a tearing hurry to forget as they never knew what struck them. It turned out to be a bolt of lightning which left them badly bruised.

Mukul, who was purchased by LSG for Rs 2.6 crore in the mini auction in December last year, repaid LSG all their dues with an unbelievable knock when everything was lost. The No.7 bat remained unbeaten on 54 off 27 balls with two fours and seven sixes as LSG won by three wickets.

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“Even before my dad got married, it was his dream that his son would play cricket. Financial condition was not very good at the start. Began playing at 12-13 years. There were not a lot of academies (in Jhunjhunu) and then I moved to Jaipur. I saw how much T20 cricket is growing, so I moved to Gurgaon and stayed there for 3-4 months,” Mukul, who has had a tough beginning in life, stated.

Pressure is always there. But God has given us this opportunity, and I try to do what I can do. I see it as an opportunity, rather than taking pressure, said Mukul Choudhary. Pics: BCCI

“My dad tells me there was a U-19 match against UP. It was a low-scoring match but I scored runs and that is when he knew I would make it big. Pressure is always there. But God has given us this opportunity, and I try to do what I can do. I see it as an opportunity, rather than taking pressure. My plan was to play till the end, and I believe in myself that much that I knew if I batted till the end, I could make the team win,” the 21-year-old Mukul, who was named the Player of the Match, said.

Mukul said the first six he hit today was a special one. “I had not hit a six before today, so that was special. (On what he was feeling when 7 were needed off 2) I knew one ball would be in my area and I knew I needed to hit just one six. I have always been hitting, since I have been young. If it is in my area, I smash it,” he said nonchalantly.

Chasing 182 for victory, LSG were down and out at 125 for six as Ayush Badoni, who had struck a fluent half-century, departed. Mukul had just joined Badoni and with the tail for company, he had to pull a rabbit out of the hat. LSG needed 57 runs off 32 balls. The first six balls Mukul faced produced a mere two runs and with Mohammad Shami (1) falling at 128 in the 16th over, LSG needed 54 off 24 balls.

The dice was loaded against LSG and not even an alien could pull off a miracle. But Mukul put on an incredible show which stunned not only the Knight Riders but also silenced the huge Kolkata crowd.

Mohammad Shami is not getting any young. But the experience he brings to the side is invaluable. Having someone like him is amazing, said Lucknow Super Giants’ skipper Rishabh Pant

Mukul framed the bowling brilliantly as he faced 21 balls and scored an amazing 52 with seven mighty sixes and two fours to crown himself with glory. LSG made 182 for seven off the last ball, a scrambled single after Mukul missed the ball. After all the pyrotechnics, a bye was what secured the win for LSG.

Badoni, earlier, had anchored the chase with a 34-ball 54 with seven fours and two sixes as Kolkata bowlers kept the LSG batters on a tight leash. But LSG never looked like taking down the Kolkata score till Mukul turned on the flood lights.

No words to describe Mukul’s innings, says Pant

“I do not have words to describe (Mukul’s innings) but what a fantastic effort. One thing I made sure is that personally, that trust and when you believe in someone, a player can do wonders. The character, with each and every match like this, it shows something is building. We don’t want to talk much about it but something is cooking inside. Badoni is now a senior pro in our team. That is the role we have given him. In a situation like him, when we talk about Badoni, these are the kind (of contributions) you want to see from Badoni. Shami is not getting any young. But the experience he brings to the side is invaluable. Having someone like him is amazing. Whole bowling unit is doing an amazing job,” said a jubilant LSG skipper Rishabh Pant.

Earlier, Kolkata skipper Ajinkya Rahane (41) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (45) had strung an 84-run partnership off 52 balls to lay the foundation for a good score.

Rovman Powell made an unbeaten 39 to help Kolkata Knight Riders reach 181 for four at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday

Cameron Green (32 not out) and Rovman Powell (39 not out) added an unbeaten 70 off 40 balls for the fifth wicket to help Kolkata reach 181 for four. The LSG bowlers, led by Shami and Digvesh Singh, kept the Kolkata batters on a tight leash.

“Tough one to take. Really proud of the boys, the way we played. Mukul’s knock was defining. The way he played his shots…in games like this, you do not want to pinpoint too many things. Execution here and there can happen, but credit to Mukul and that partnership. Those (slower balls into the pitch) deliveries did work. They (LSG) had nothing to lose. It was about swinging (every ball). There were brilliant shots. The way he (Mukul) batted was amazing. Thought our bowlers did their job. When you lose a game, you think about how you could have done better. 180-185 was a very good total on this wicket. In the end, I thought, let’s give credit to the (LSG) batters and the way they batted,” said a disappointed Rahane.

Brief scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 181 for four in 20 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 41, Angkrish Raghuvanshi 45, Cameron Green 32 not out, Rovman Powell 39 not out) lost to Lucknow Super Giants 182 for seven in 20 overs (Aiden Markram 22, Ayush Badoni 54, Mukul Choudhary 54; Vaibhav Arora 2/38, Anukul Roy 2/32).