Deepak Hooda’s valiant half-century was in vain as the Lucknow Super Giants continued to lose wickets at regular intervals against the clinical bowling of the Rajasthan Royals, eventually losing by 24 runs in Match 63 of the IPL 2022 at the Brabourne Stadium here on Sunday.

Lucknow were in trouble at 29/3 in the sixth over, chasing 179 for a win that would have put them second in the points table, after Trent Boult sent back Quinton de Kock and Ayush Badoni off successive deliveries.

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Despite surviving the hat-trick ball, Hooda (59 off 39 balls) came to their rescue as he held one end up, raising 65 runs for the fourth wicket partnership with Krunal Pandya (25 off 23 balls), they could only manage 154/8 in 20 overs, losing their second consecutive match.

Rajasthan moved into second place in the points table with 16 points, the same as Lucknow Super Giants but with a lower net run rate.

Hooda and Pandya kept Lucknow’s hopes alive by forming a strong partnership. However, the rate of scoring was not as high as they would have liked, and LSG was constantly playing catch-up.

After Pandya was out, Riyan Parag made an outstanding relay catch after Jos Buttler had pouched the ball at long-off and tossed it up in the air before falling over the boundary rope. As Lucknow Super Giants fell to 94/4 in the 14th over, Parag completed the catch off Ravi Ashwin.

Hooda, who hit Yuzvendra Chahal for six and four in the 11th over and had earlier pulled a short one on leg-side by Obed McCoy for a six, kept plugging for runs as he kept Lucknow Super Giants in the hunt despite the soaring asking rate. He hit four boundaries and two sixes in 33 balls to complete his half-century.

Hooda was out trying to add to the scoring when he jumped out to Chahal and Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson, who stumped him despite a fumble. Hooda scored 59 off 39 balls, hitting five boundaries and two sixes. Lucknow needed 63 runs off 24 balls, and the task became more difficult with each wicket fall as Rajasthan Royals bowled and fielded well.

LSG advanced from 63 off 24 balls to 34 off the last six deliveries, and Marcus Stoinis (27) hammered Prasidh Krishna for a six off the first ball but holed out to the next, effectively ending their hopes.

Trent Boult was the best Rajasthan bowler on the day, taking 2/18 off four overs, while Prasidh Krishna (2/33) and Obed McCoy (2/35) also contributed.

Rajasthan’s par score of 178/6 in 20 overs was built on useful knocks from Yashasvi Jaiswal (41 off 29 balls), skipper Sanju Samson (32 off 24), and Devdutt Padikkal (39 off 18), all of whom got starts but were unable to score big.

Brief scores: Rajasthan Royals 178/6 in 20 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 41, Devdutt Padikkal 39, Sanju Samson 32; Ravi Bishnoi 2/31) beat Lucknow Super Giants 154/8 in 20 overs (Deepak Hooda 59, Krunal Pandya 25, Marcus Stoinis 27; Trent Boult 2/18, Prasidh Krishna 2/33, Obed McCoy 2/35) by 24 runs.

(Inputs from IANS)