IPL 2023: Mohsin Khan’s magic keeps Lucknow Super Giants alive

The young pacer helped Lucknow beat Mumbai by five runs

Lucknow: Zero. One. One. Zero. One. Two. That’s five runs off six balls conceded by Mohsin Khan when the rookie fast bowler had 11 runs to defend against Tim David (32 not out off 19 balls) and Cameron Green (4 not out) in the last over of an engrossing IPL encounter against Mumbai Indians.

With a deadly combination of yorkers and slower length bowls, the 23-year-old Mohsin kept the Lucknow Super Giants alive in the playoff race, helping the team beat Mumbai by five runs.

Marcus Stoinis’ magical 89 off 47 balls (4 fours, 8 sixes) had earlier allowed the home team to post a challenging 177 for three on a tricky surface at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.

But the Mumbai openers — Ishan Kishan (59off 39 balls) and Rohit Sharma (37 off 25 balls) — threatened to take the game away with their 90-run partnership in just 9.4 overs.

Lucknow’s bowling unit then fought back on the back of another impressive spell from young leggie Ravi Bishnoi (4-0-26-2).

But the fortunes kept swinging like a pendulum until Mohsin stepped up to hand Mumbai its first defeat in last three games.

The thrilling win took Lucknow (15 points from 13 games) to the third place behind the already-qualified Gujarat Titans (18 points from 13 games) and the second-placed Chennai Super Kings (15 points from 13 games).

Chennai sits in second place on the back of its superior net run rate, while the fourth-placed Mumbai (14 points from 13 matches) now faces a must-win situation in its last league game against the already-eliminated Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.

Tuesday’s result also meant Gujarat will finish the league phase in the first place.

But it has also kept the race alive for the next three positions in the playoffs.

Four mid-table teams — Royal Challengers Bangalore (12 matches), Rajasthan Royals (13 matches), Kolkata Knight Riders (13 matches) and Punjab Kings (12 matches) — are tied on 12 points each, only the net run rate separating them on the points table.

Each one of them still has a chance to qualify for the playoffs, but it’s the RCB and Punjab, with both having a game on hand, that are in a better position.