Lucknow Super Giants pulled off a superb debut season, making it to the playoffs. Let's take a look at how LSG's season unfolded.
Chitrangada Chaudhuri
All-round Team
At the auctions, Lucknow build a team filled with all rounders and appointed former PBKS skipper KL Rahul.
LSG boasted of one of the strongest bowling units this season, and on paper had a strong batting line-up. But Lucknow became over-reliant on skipper KL Rahul to perform at the top.
Rahul led the batting line-up scoring two centuries and four half-centuries.
With a highest-knock of an unbeaten 103, KL scored 616 runs from 15 games at an average of 51.33.
Hot on his heels was opening partner Quinton de Kock, who scored 508 runs from 15 games. De Kock's highest this season was an unbeaten 140.
Another player to score bulk of the runs apart from the opening pair this season was Deepak Hooda who scored 451 runs from 15 games.
But apart from the top three, the rest of the line-up had an average season and that put pressure on the opening pair. LSG needed a more stable middle-order.
Meanwhile in the bowling line-up, Avesh Khan led the attack with 18 wickets from 13 games, while Mohsin Khan had an impressive season, pocketing 14 from nine games.
The bowlers were on top of their game as Lucknow clinched nine wins from 14 games to enter the playoffs of their debut season.
Super Kings were the more dominant side when they were batting first, winning seven out of eight matches. On the other hand, when chasing they won only twice.
Lucknow Super Giants began their season with a loss as they went down to fellow newcomers Gujarat Titans.
Losing Start
But Rahul's side bounced back quickly to win three matches on the trot.
Royals put the brakes on LSG handing them a 3 run defeat. Lucknow bounced back with a win over MI, before RCB handed them their third loss of the season.
Thereon, LSG once again went on a winning run, clinched four wins on the trot, before Titans once again handed them a defeat.
Towards the end of the league stage, Lucknow had a mixed run. KL Rahul's side finished the league stage with a loss to RCB.
In an interesting fact, LSG lost only to the teams that qualified for the playoffs this season, while defeating all the other sides.
Finishing at third spot, below RR, due to net runrate, Lucknow faced RCB in the Eliminator. But the Super Giants failed at the first hurdle in the playoffs as they struggled to chase down the target.
But all in all, wrapping up the season, Lucknow enjoyed a superb debut season.