"Get that clown out of Indian team please!"- Twitter tears into KL Rahul for his knock against RCB as LSG crash out of IPL 2022
KL Rahul's 79(58) wasn't enough to take the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to Qualifier 2 as they lost to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 14 runs on May 25. Despite having one of the strongest IPL teams on paper, LSG would have been gutted that they bowed out of the tournament at this stage.
The target of 208 was a steep one and LSG lost Quinton de Kock quite early. But KL Rahul didn't make the most use of the powerplay and chose to play himself in. Despite accelerating just after the powerplay, Rahul once again went into the shell in the middle overs.
Fans on Twitter blamed Rahul for LSG's loss against RCB. They felt had the opener been more proactive, they could have chased the total down with ease. Some also slammed the management for sending a top-order batter like Evin Lewis to bat at No.6.
Here are some of the reactions:
KL Rahul was 25(15). In the last 27 balls he has scored 23 runs in a match which has a required rate of 10.5 which has climbed to 14.4 now!
KL made the game for LSG and ended it too lmao
Pata nahi khush hou ya WC ke tension mein dukhi. Seriously disabled batting by KL
Today is the day when Gutam Gambhir will bash the ‘Strike rate is overrated’ out of KL Rahul.
Good news for Indian Cricket, happening for the bigger cause.
https://t.co/OfJ6pI1uOX
LSG needed rahul the most today and he is busy statpadding
KL Rahul can't even tie Rohit's shoelace when it comes to IPL legacy.
So a certain franchise had tweeted “tumse na hopayega beta” while facing @RCBTweets earlier in the season , now who is having the last laugh? Bwahahahaha. Quality win this. #IPL2022 #LSGvRCB
@ovshake42 First 2 matches in play offs - Both the losing teams had one batsman who faced more than 50 balls but strike rate was less than 180. In big matches this will hurt! 50 balls is almost half of the innings. #IPL2022 #Playoffs
LPG didn't win a single game against the other playoff teams.
#IPLCredit to RCB but KLR played a huge role in their win 😅 #IPL
So eventually Lucknow couldn't beat any of the sides in the #IPL2022 playoffs.
Batting and bowling performances were same by RCB and Lucknow but it was the fielding which made the difference. Lucknow dropped catches and RCB fielded outstanding. Congratulations to RCB. #RCBvsLSG #TATAIPL2022 https://t.co/YTb3Hf4gOI
You have to feel for Kumble for copping so much of unnecessary criticism for KL's batting approach for the last 2 seasons.
KL Rahul looked good till he was on attack mode but that was not for long. As soon as he went into his shell, for the umpteenth time, LSG started to fall behind in the chase. Has to be on him.
#IPL2022 #LSGvRCB
KL says that fielding was the (only) difference between the two teams!!!
Well, just to remind you all that KL faced more balls than Patidar tonight...
RELEASE THE DRESSING ROOM TALK WITH GAMBHIR RIGHT NOW, @/LucknowIPL.
Disappointing to hear Rahul blaming fielders and other reasons for defeat. #RCBvLSG #LSGvRCB
well the way y’all played cricket today, there was noway you would’ve ended on the winning side. Yet this was close than what I expected.Congratulations RCB 👀
They surely are playing the final this season. They’ve defeated RR previously too.
LSG 😂💀 well the way y’all played cricket today, there was noway you would’ve ended on the winning side. Yet this was close than what I expected.
CSK losing to RR hurt Lucknow more than Chennai. 🤣 #IPL
KL Rahul will be the reason of this loss of LSG.
Yesterday Buttler, today KLR
As expected 🤣 https://t.co/n189vVTrW8
Buttler and Rahul - both have played match-losing knocks in these last two games. You can't hog half the number of deliveries and leave an equal amount for the rest to camouflage your struggles. You're getting the opportunity to bat against a hard new ball too #IPL2022 #LSGvRCB
Rishabh pant should've been the captain instead of this statpadder for sa series, Kl Rahul don't even deserves to be in the indian squad
Story of KL Rahul in IPL so far. No point of playing insipid innings when you possess so much ability. Playing with 120 strike rate for first 20 balls is acceptable but once you are set there are no excuses of playing with 150+ SR given quality of pitch. Self destruction awful
It might look harsh but KL Rahul played 4 more balls than Rajat Patidar and scored 33 runs less than him. Can't really approach a chase of 10+ rpo like this. You can never make up for the lost deliveries. The same thing happened with Jos Buttler yesterday in 1st inn.
#LSGvRCB
Rajat Patidar: 112 off 54 balls.
KL Rahul : 79 off 58 balls.
These two contrasting innings decided the fate of the game. Didn’t quite understand what KL was doing in the middle overs knocking 1s & 2s. You’ve all the shots but still don’t want to play it? #LSG #IPL2022
KL Rahul seems to be very disappointed in the dressing room since he can't compete for orange cap anymore
Hall of shame innings from KL Rahul. Deserves all the stat-padder taunts he gets! 😡😡
In paaji's words, KL Rahul has batted at 8 rpo in a run chase of 10.5 rpo.
What an amazing fifty in 43 balls while chasing 208😱
KL Rahul being one of the most consistent performer for "40s ball fifty department"🔥🔥 #LSGvRCB https://t.co/ZjZhsSeyBg
KL was 26 off 17 at the end of the powerplay and 37 off 32 at the close of the 10th over in a chase of 208. I know that in my T20 team he bats No.5. I'll force him to play like the KL Rahul he has in him, not one he allows himself to be.
KL Rahul made 11 runs off 12 balls against Shahbaz when Harshal and Hasaranga had several overs left. Possibly cost them the match.
#LSGvRCB #IPL2022
#LSGvRCB
Dear Gautam Gambhir mind your own business, stay away from him 😤😡
Leave KL Rahul alone and facilitate him with gifts and all...he is our proud future legend😌😎 #LSGvRCB https://t.co/mcb3cbjzw4
Saying it again KL Rahul is the biggest statpadder I've ever seen twitter.com/Parth_Patel_27…
Basically lost them the game but scorecard will project as if he is the only guy that tried something. The myth that is KL Rahul continues to fool an entire audience for how long?
KL Rahul can't even tie Raina's shoelace when it comes to IPL legacy.
Gautam Gambhir to KL Rahul after the match. #RCBvsLSG https://t.co/XU1SzVFgEv
KL Rahul usually bottles in knockouts games.
He generally gets out quickly making zero impact.
Today, he decided to make a negative impact in a knockout game.
Guy is scaling new heights everyday.
Deserves all the statpadder trolls.
Biggest choker ever
Man of the Match KL Rahul for his beautiful knock. Get that clown out of the Indian team please 😭
LSG lost the match between the overs 9-13 where they scored just 30 runs in 5 overs.
At least Deepak Hooda was trying to over hit, KL Rahul was horrendous in that phase and inexplicably slow after being already well set.
More than the KL Rahul's master'crass' this season, we should also be looking at how repeatedly LSG's management goofed up their batting order.
Holding back Ewin Lewis till the back end or not promoting and utilising Marcus Stoinis at number 4.
#LSGvRCB
Ofcourse KL Rahul bottled it https://t.co/vfu57sSWFC
@mufaddal_vohra India need this mindset type of players in T20 not like Statpadder KL Rahul https://t.co/qLtcxIlzXd
In terms of choking ability
KL Rahul > RCB
Thanks @klrahul , next target Wt20 choke ❤
KL Rahul in RCB’s dressing room today
#IPL2022 • #LSGvRCB https://t.co/12tdHakt33
KL conveniently threw the fielders under the bus after batting at 136SR for almost 10 overs in a 10+ RPO chase and holding back Evin Lewis for too long.
Justify Evin Lewis' batting position in IPL 2022 Eliminator (15 marks).
You need 210 in an eliminator against a strong bowling line-up.
Instead of sending Evin Lewis who can clobber from ball one, you are sending Manan Vohra?
Even as a neutral fan, this is a bit tough to digest. Bro Lewis could have owned the PP.
#IPL2022 #LSGvRCB
There must be some logic to Evin Lewis sitting in the dugout during the powerplay!
For all the praise they deserve for maximising their bowling resources, Lucknow failed to put together a commanding batting lineup with all the talent at their disposal. Perfectly summed up by their misuse of Evin Lewis today, a returning Manan Vohra prioritised over him
Kolkata me meri itni izzat thi sab paani me baha di tune https://t.co/6KBTML98Kn
How can you complain about KL Rahul’s knock today, with a superb BASRA of 215?
Aur kitna deep leke jaana hai match tumko? 22 over tak? https://t.co/MjQSvE2xPZ
KL Rahul couldn't quite up the ante in the end
Quite a few eyebrows were raised when LSG sent Manan Vohra to bat at No. 3, despite having the explosive Evin Lewis in the shed. Vohra did play a handy cameo, but many felt Lewis would have made more use of the powerplay.
Deepak Hooda walked out to bat and, after struggling initially, took the attack to the RCB bowlers. KL Rahul, too, found some momentum and the two went about things nicely. Despite being hit for a couple of sixes, Wanindu Hasaranga castled Hooda and that proved to be a big moment in the chase.
Rahul did get some boundaries towards the end but Marcus Stoinis clearly had to go big from ball one and struggled to do so. His run-a-ball knock of nine ended and brought Lewis to the crease.
It was never going to be easy for an opener to suddenly play the role of a finisher and, naturally so, Lewis struggled towards the end. Rahul did mention after the game that LSG's poor fielding made the difference, but many would argue that it was his questionable intent in the middle-overs that cost LSG the game.
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