LSG vs RR, IPL 2024 Match 44: Award Winners, Man of The Match, Post-Match Presentation, Scorecard & Records

LSG vs RR, IPL 2024 Match 44: Rajasthan Royals (RR) defeated Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by seven wickets in Match 44 of the IPL 2024 at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Saturday, April 27.

With eight wins in nine matches, Rajasthan have now taken a six-point lead at the top. Rajasthan captain Sanju Samson scored unbeaten 71 off 33 to chase down the 197-run target with an over to spare. Dhruv Jurel also remained unbeaten on 52 off 34.

Being asked to bat, Lucknow lost the wickets of Quinton de Kock and Marcus Stoinis inside the first two overs. But KL Rahul (76 off 48) and Deepak Hooda (50 off 31) forged a century stand to resurrect the Lucknow innings. Ayush Badoni (18 off 13) and Krunal Pandya (15 off 11) remained unbeaten as Lucknow managed to post 196/5 in 20 overs.

LSG vs RR IPL 2024 Match 44 Award Winners

Man Of The Match: Sanju Samson
Punch.EV Electric Striker Of The Match: Sanju Samson
Fantasy Player of the Match: Sanju Samson
Super 6s of the match: Sanju Samson
RuPay On-The-Go 4s: KL Rahul

Sanju Samson roars after hitting match-sealing six vs KL Rahul's LSG, fans say RR captain wants T20 World Cup spot

LSG vs RR: Who Said What?

KL Rahul (LSG Captain): "I think we left about 20 runs behind. We didn’t get an ideal start but with the partnership me and Hooda had was great. In these sorts of games, the set batter had to score close to a hundred after getting to 50-60. I think we were 150 after about 15 overs, should have capitalised on it a bit more. I think it is clear the team with more sixes ends up winning.

"We do try to hit our sixes but today we had to change our approach after those two early wickets. If Hooda pushed on and scored 20 more, and I got 20 more then we’d finish around 220. That would have been the difference, that’s the 20 runs we left behind. We’re seeing with every game how important it is to give the bowlers that extra cushion because they are under the pump.

"Everyone loves range hitting and hitting it all over the park, we are no different. It is part of the prep. Our big hitters are Stoin and Pooran who can hit those big shots. The other guys like us try to pick our areas and time the shots better. (On Mishra and Bishnoi) There is a bit of chat before the game with the numbers and how opposition players match-up.

"Mishra is an experienced player and today was a day we knew he could be useful with how slow he bowls and with the larger boundaries. Once the runs kept flowing, they put pressure on our bowlers. There were 2-3 overs when Krunal bowled really well and squeezed them but then they attacked the fast bowlers. I couldn’t get a good time to get Bishnoi, wanted to keep him for the backend when Rovman and Hetmyer came out to bat because we know he can bowl well to them."

Sanju Samson (Man of the Match and RR Captain): "I am very lucky to be behind the wickets. There was some purchase with the new ball and then was a good wicket to bat on. The guys who came in and bowl one over in the power-play do an important job. There has been a lot of planning behind the scenes.

"The start and the end of the innings was good. We gave away a few in the middle overs. Form is temporary in this format. We have seen Jurel in Tests. We believe in him. He has been batting one hour and two hours at times in the nets. We have been doing really well. We have been a little lucky as well. We need to keep the process right. At the team meetings, we talk about ticking the processes. One game at a time for us."

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Dhruv Jurel (RR Batter): "I just wanted to finish the match whenever I got a chance ( during batting). It's always a blessing / curse (playing in the middle-order), I just wanted to stay until the end and finish the game for my team.

"I will have to practice, in the batting PP, you have just two fielders outrside the ring, during the middle-overs, you'll need to find the gaps and get the big hits going as there are 5 fielders in thew deep, that's what I was looking at.

"I started well, but my shots went straight to the fielders. Sanju then told me to calm down, don't go too hard, take my time and then I got 20 runs in an over and that got me going. I always play for my papa, I did so during the Test match as well. he was then in the army, he was there today and that was for him (on the salute celebration after fifty)."

LSG vs RR Key Stats

Unbeaten 121-run partnership between Samson and Dhruv Jurel is second-highest vs LSG for any wicket
197-run target is the joint-fourth highest target chased by RR in IPL
199/3 is the joint-highest T20 total in men's T20 at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow