"KL Rahul always plays for personal milestones" - Twitterati tear apart LSG captain for scoring 68 off 61 balls in a losing cause against GT
KL Rahul's half-century ended in a losing cause as Gujarat Titans (GT) defeated Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by seven runs at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Saturday, April 22.
Chasing 136, the right-handed batter scored 68 runs off 61 balls at a sub-par strike rate of 111.48, including eight boundaries. The Super Giants had the game in their hands until Rahul departed against the run of play.
Rahul was caught by Jayant Yadav at square leg off Mohit Sharma's bowling in the 20th over, which shifted the game in GT's favor. The Titans effected three more dismissals in as many balls to clinch the tie.
Fans on Twitter tore apart KL Rahul for his sluggish innings despite chasing a modest target. Here are some of the best reactions:
KL Rahul always plays for personal milestones. Never tried to hit boundaries even after completing the fifty.
KL Rahul is so hilarious, disgusting and hopeless 🤣🤣
#LSGvGT #TATAIPL2023
Can't believe KL Rahul holds record for the fastest fifty in IPL.
Finished T20 player he is.
#LSGvGT
Useless inning by KL Rahul #LSGvGT
KL bro deserved that
#klrahul
@LucknowIPL @IPL @GujratTitans
Hence proved.....!!
How to fix a match. Shame on you LSG, @klrahul leave cricket right now.
5overs, 30 runs and 8 wickets in hand.
Go play in gully only.
@klrahul the biggest fraud of world cricket and he proved it once again...
#LSGvGT #klrahul
@AskRishabh KL Rahul should banned from cricket with immediate effect
And KL Rahul's legacy continues
If I were Gambhir, the first thing I'd tell Rahul is to not open Twitter for some days 😅
#LSGvsGT #KLRahul𓃵 https://t.co/UfQ63B2iBp
KL Rahul once again bogged down and lost his wicket at a crucial juncture. This pitch is slow and made for set batsmen. #LSGvGT
Rahul also registered the third slowest innings in the IPL for a minimum of 60 balls faced, just behind Aaron Finch (68 off 62) and JP Duminy (59 off 63).
The Karnataka batter has so far scored 262 runs in seven games but at a sub-par strike rate of 113.91, including two half-centuries.
KL Rahul, meanwhile, became the quickest player to complete 7,000 runs in T20 cricket. He achieved the landmark in his 197th innings, leaving behind the previous record held by Virat Kohli (212 innings).
“The pressure got to us in the last 3-4 overs” – KL Rahul
KL Rahul sounded disappointed after LSG lost to GT in a low-scoring thriller at. He also justified why he was unable to accelerate himself throughout his innings.
Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, he said:
“I don't know how it happened, but it has happened. I can't put a finger on where it went wrong, but we lost 2 points today, this is cricket. I thought we were brilliant with the ball, 135 was 10 runs under par, the bowling was exceptional, we started well with the bat, but these things happen, we'll have to take it on the chin. Still, a long way to go, 8 points off 7 games, we were on the wrong side of the result today.”
He added:
“We were well ahead in the game, and I wasn't really trying to bat deep, I still wanted to play my shots, and take on the bowlers, but they bowled well in that 2-3 over period. We perhaps should have taken a few more chances with wickets in hand. I think we missed out on some boundary opportunities. The pressure got to us in the last 3-4 overs."
LSG will now look to return to winning ways against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) away from home on Friday, April 28.