Rahul, Hooda, Mohsin help Lucknow take second spot in IPL

MUMBAI, AFP: Skipper K.L. Rahul and Deepak Hooda smashed half-centuries to help Lucknow Super Giants jump to second in the Indian Premier League with a narrow win over Delhi Capitals on Sunday.

Rahul, who hit 77, and Hooda, who smashed 52, put on 95 for the second wicket as Lucknow finished on 195 for three after electing to bat first on another hot day in Mumbai.

Lucknow fast bowler Mohsin Khan then returned figures of 4-16 including key wickets of David Warner (three), skipper Rishabh Pant (44) and Rovman Powell (35) to keep down Delhi to 189-7 and win by six runs.

Delhi number seven Axar Patel attempted to pull off the chase with his unbeaten 42 off 24 balls but Marcus Stoinis defended 21 runs in the final over as Lucknow took their place behind fellow newcomers Gujarat Titans in the 10-team IPL table.

New franchises Gujarat and Lucknow paid more than $ 1.6 billion combined to make their entry in the money-spinning Indian Premier League.

Mohsin, an up-and-coming left-arm quick from the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, stood out after he got Warner caught at mid-wicket and later bowled Pant to deny the left-handed batter his 50.

Mitchell Marsh hit a 20-ball 37 but fell caught behind off Krishnappa Gowtham and walked back only for the ultra-edge technology to suggest no spike when the ball passed the bat.

Mohsin then took down the dangerous Powell and Shardul Thakur in his final over to dent Delhi’s hopes of a chase and was named man of the match.

Earlier the in-form Rahul, who has amassed 451 runs including two centuries in 10 matches, registered his fourth score of 50 plus runs to take the attack to the opposition bowlers.

He hit four fours and five sixes in his 51-ball knock.

Hooda reached his 50 in 32 balls but soon fell to Thakur, who took three wickets, in the next over.

Bowlers did manage to check Lucknow, who at one stage looked like crossing 200, in the final five overs but the total proved just enough for the Delhi batters.