IPL 2023: 'We take it as it comes' - KL Rahul's chin up as LSG goes down to PBKS

On Saturday, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain KL Rahul said his side could not execute the plans while batting and were ten runs short as it lost its 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) by two wickets at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Saturday.

Invited to bat, LSG made 159/8 in 20 overs, with Rahul top-scoring 74, but PBKS chased down the target with three balls to spare. "I think we were about ten runs short towards the end. The dew came in, which seemed to help the batters [of PBKS] a little more. We did not execute well with the ball," Rahul said at the post-match presentation.

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"If a couple of batters get in, play good knocks, we can get to 180-190. Unfortunately, a few batters hit good shots today but got caught just on the boundary line. On another day, we would have got those 10-15 runs extra that would have made the difference," added Rahul.

He said while playing on new ground and a new pitch, one must rely on something other than the previous games. "We take it as it comes, assess it on the go and not set ourselves a target," he stated. On his fine catch to dismiss Jitesh Sharma, Rahul said, "The game was on the line, and I try to give everything when I am on the field. I went for it."

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Rahul said each player in the team has a different role to play. "Our team has seven-eight batters, and few can clear any boundary. Some are less powerful but have skills. It is about each player playing their part and role, which makes the team exciting. We do have power hitters down the order in Pooran and Stoinis. Mayers up top takes the aggressive route, and a few of us must assess the conditions and stick to what works for us. Just about giving them the confidence to do what they are comfortable with," he explained.

"Players who can hit sixes from ball one are dangerous. You go from ground to ground - different dimensions - have to come up with different game plans. We've got so many options which are lovely to have as a captain. I've never done it before. Hopefully, Shikhar will be fit soon," concluded Curran.

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"Players who can hit sixes from ball one are dangerous. You go from ground to ground - different dimensions - have to come up with different game plans. We've got so many options which are lovely to have as a captain. I've never done it before. Hopefully, Shikhar will be fit soon," concluded Curran.

(With inputs from PTI)