• Watch: IPL debutant hits 155.8km/h

    Published on

    IPL debutant Mayank Yadav turned an unlikely hero with his express pace and three wickets to help the Lucknow Super Giants to their first win of the season on Saturday.

    Lucknow beat Punjab Kings by 21 runs at their home ground after they posted 199-8 following Quinton de Kock’s 54 and a quick-fire 42 by stand-in skipper Nicholas Pooran.

    In reply, Punjab finished on 178-5 despite a 102-run opening stand between captain Shikhar Dhawan (70) and Jonny Bairstow (42).

    Yadav, who sent down this season’s fastest delivery of 155.8km/h, broke the stand with his maiden wicket of Bairstow and returned figures of 3-27 to swing back the momentum in Lucknow’s favour.

    “Mayank’s was the story of the night,” said Pooran of his Man of the Match performer. “It was an inspiring performance. Every person in the team is happy he got a chance and performed tonight. Was wonderful watching him from mid-off.”

    Delhi-born Yadav went to Lucknow for $24,000 last year but failed to turn up after an injury cost him the entire 2023 season.

    Yadav came back from a 10-run first over to get Bairstow out with a short ball after the batsman miscued it to deep mid-wicket.

    The 21-year-old got two more wickets to flatten the opposition chase.

    “Plan was to not be under too much pressure and to bowl at the stumps and use the pace as much as possible,” said Yadav. “There was the thought to mix up the pace initially but the wicket helped and the skipper told me to bowl gas.”

    He said Bairstow’s debut wicket was his “favourite”.

    Photo: BCCI

    Post by

    Simon Borchardt