IPL 2024: 'Looks like his brother' - Fans compare LSG's Mayank Yadav to Suryakumar after heroics against PBKS

India discovered a burgeoning fast-bowling talent in Mayank Yadav, who showcased his blistering pace with figures of 3/27, amidst the customary onslaught of monstrous hits as Lucknow Super Giants secured a commanding victory over Punjab Kings by 21 runs in the IPL 2024 match held in Lucknow on Saturday.

After his remarkable display, numerous fans flocked to X, previously known as Twitter, drawing parallels between Mayank Yadav and Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav. Some supporters even went as far as likening the pacer to SKY's younger brother, emphasizing the resemblance between the two players.

"Is it just me or Mayank Yadav looks like Suryakumar?" asked one fan on X.

Another added, "Mayank Yadav just look like the younger brother of Suryakumar Yadav."

"Mayank Yadav == Suryakumar Yadav," stated a third fan.

A fourth netizen wrote, "People are saying that Mayank Yadav is brother of Suryakumar Yadav."

Asked to bat first, Krunal Pandya's late surge propelled LSG to a competitive total of 199/8.

Quinton de Kock, the opener for LSG, led the scoring with a brisk 38-ball 54. However, it was Nicholas Pooran, serving as the stand-in captain, who injected momentum into the innings with his quickfire 21-ball 42 during the middle overs.

Krunal Pandya's cameo, comprising two sixes and four boundaries, saw him score at a striking rate of 200, contributing a crucial 22-ball 43 to bolster his team's total.

LSG's total proved to be sufficient as they secured their maiden victory of the IPL season, largely owing to Mayank's stellar performance. Despite Punjab's efforts, they fell short, ending at 178/5. The absence of Liam Livingstone, who couldn't bat at No.4 due to injury, was keenly felt by Punjab.

Notably, in the 12th over of Punjab's innings, Mayank Yadav delivered the fastest ball of the tournament, clocking at 155.8 kmph.

Mayank's blistering pace unsettled Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, and Jitesh Sharma, leading to their downfall. Throughout his four-over spell, he consistently clocked speeds of 150 kmph and above, emerging as the hero of the night.

Prior to Mayank's impactful spell, the dynamic opening partnership of Shikhar Dhawan (70 off 50 balls) and Bairstow (42 off 29 balls) quickly adapted to what seemed like an excellent batting surface, finding the boundary to kickstart their innings.

PBKS captain Dhawan made a bold statement by executing a reverse sweep over backward point off M Siddharth.

Their aggressive intent saw PBKS racing to 61 for no loss in the power play, with Dhawan continuing in the same aggressive vein, reaching his fifty with a maximum off Ravi Bishnoi.

Bairstow matched Dhawan's aggression, dispatching Krunal Pandya for two consecutive sixes as the visiting team surpassed the 100-run mark in the 11th over.

In an effort to curb PBKS' scoring rate, Bishnoi delivered a tight 11th over, conceding just three runs. This pressured Bairstow into taking on Mayank, resulting in a mistimed shot and his dismissal, marking the fast bowler's debut IPL wicket.

Prabhsimran showcased a brief but fiery innings, scoring a brisk 19 off seven balls before falling victim to Mayank's bowling prowess for the second time.

Despite Dhawan's determined efforts to keep his team in contention, PBKS struggled to maintain the required run rate. Eventually, the Punjab captain fell under the mounting pressure, while Jitesh Sharma also found it challenging to handle Mayank's pace.

Earlier, De Kock kickstarted the LSG innings with an elegant boundary through mid-off, setting the tone for their innings.

Playing as an 'impact player' and having delegated leadership duties to Nicholas Pooran, KL Rahul appeared uncertain as he attempted to flick Kagiso Rabada behind square on the leg-side.

Harshal Patel, sprinting in from a considerable distance, dove in an impressive effort to grab the ball, but luck favored Rahul as the fielder narrowly missed what could have been a spectacular catch.

Meanwhile, De Kock showcased his prowess by effortlessly dispatching Rabada over point for a boundary off the first ball he faced from the South African speedster. He followed it up with an even better stroke, elegantly guiding the ball over backward point for a six.

Rahul showcased his batting prowess by driving Arshdeep Singh down the ground for a maximum, and then repeating the feat with another similar shot, this time earning himself a boundary.

However, Arshdeep had his revenge when he had the LSG batsman caught by Jonny Bairstow at backward point after a brief knock of 15 runs off nine balls.

Devdutt Padikkal managed to find the boundary twice before falling to Sam Curran's bowling, who finished with figures of 3/28.

Marcus Stoinis contributed with two sixes before being dismissed by Rahul Chahar while attempting to slog the spinner on the leg side.

This brought Pooran into the crease, and the West Indian wasted no time finding his rhythm. He launched Rahul Chahar for two sixes and a boundary in a 20-run over, injecting much-needed momentum into LSG's innings.

Meanwhile, De Kock reached his half-century in 34 balls, but a strategic timeout interrupted LSG's flow as the left-hander mistimed a short delivery from Arshdeep, offering an easy catch to wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma.

Pooran continued to keep the scoreboard ticking until he unfortunately dragged a delivery from Rabada onto his stumps, dealing a significant blow to LSG's innings.

In came Krunal Pandya, who didn't take long to settle, smashing a short ball from Rabada over midwicket for a maximum.

Although Sam Curran bowled a tight 17th over to stifle LSG's progress, Krunal managed to find the boundary on multiple occasions, providing crucial impetus to his team's total.