IPL 2026: Lucknow Super Giants vs Rajasthan Royals Match 32 – Who Said What?

Rajasthan Royals defeated Lucknow Super Giants by 40 runs at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, April 22.

Rishabh Pant won the toss and opted to bowl first on Wednesday. The move paid dividends when Mohammed Shami and Mohsin Khan combined to dismiss the formidable top three of the Royals in the first four overs.

Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer got starts but threw them away before they became substantial contributions. Ravindra Jadeja dropped anchor, while Donovan Ferreira gave him decent support. However, once Ferreira was dismissed for 20, Shubham Dubey was sent in as the Impact Player, and he slammed an unbeaten 19 off 11 balls. Jadeja remained unbeaten on 43 off 29 deliveries as the visitors finished on 159/6 in their 20 overs.

Lucknow needed early wickets, and it was exactly what they got, with Ayush Badoni and Rishabh Pant getting out in the first and second over, respectively. However, the nightmare didn’t end there for Lucknow, who lost Aiden Markram for a six-ball duck.

Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh tried to resurrect the innings, but the two free-flowing batters were struggling to time the ball on a tacky wicket. In the end, Pooran departed for 22 off 25 balls. Himmat Singh came in as the Impact Player and made a run-a-ball 15. However, the most important wicket was taken by Nandre Burger in the 16th over, as he dismissed Marsh for a 41-ball 55.

The lower-order couldn’t hang around for long as the Super Giants were rolled over for 119 with two overs left to play. Archer was the best bowler on the night, and the others also gave him good support.

Talking Points

1. Ravindra Jadeja’s all-round show floors Lucknow

Ravindra Jadeja bailed Rajasthan out after they had slumped to 62/4 in the ninth over. The 37-year-old understood the importance of his wicket, and he hung in there patiently to take the innings deep. The likes of Donovan Ferreira, Shimron Hetmyer, and Shubham Dubey played around him to help Rajasthan finish on a fighting score of 159/6. Jadeja finished unbeaten on 43 off 29 balls, taking 20 runs in the last over. With the ball, he bagged the wicket of Pooran and gave away just 29 runs in four overs.

2. Rajasthan bowling excels

Rajasthan Royals’ bowlers showed no signs of fear while defending what wasn’t too big a target for Lucknow to chase down. Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger set the tone once again inside the power play, and the spinners choked the flow of runs through the middle overs. Brijesh Sharma was also impressive, picking up two wickets in three overs. However, Archer hogged the limelight with his spell of 3/20 in four overs.

3. Not happening for LSG’s overseas stars

While Mitchell Marsh tried to bat according to the situation, you could just understand that he wasn’t happy after not being able to bat in his aggressive style. Lucknow would have expected him to maximise the power play, but that didn’t happen. It’s hard to blame Aiden Markram because Lucknow have shuffled him around in the batting order too often, which is never easy. Lastly, Nicholas Pooran had another tough outing on Wednesday, as he couldn’t time most of the balls he faced. It doesn’t happen often that Pooran scores only 22 runs after facing 25 balls.

LSG vs RR: Who Said What?

Rishabh Pant, LSG captain

I think it is difficult to explain. Like it’s definitely our batting is letting us down, but at the same time, we are disappointed as a team, as a group, but at the same time, you’ve got to keep finding ways. You have to look for answers inside, not outside, but that’s how it is as of now. See, definitely we could have taken some time while batting and at the same time, you know, not making any excuse out there, like, you know, including myself in that, like we could have taken it a little deeper because I think the bowlers did a fantastic job, especially after the last game. As a batting group, we need to put our hand up and try to finish that job for the bowlers also. There is still a lot we want to look at the positive side, you know. We all know it’s disappointing for us as a team, but you know, we have to keep our head high and look for answers inside and we surely know that we have enough firepower in our bowling and batting and we can still turn it around. That’s what I believe in.

Riyan Parag, RR captain

Very pleased. Firstly, I feel we were really short with the bat. The way the wicket was playing when me and Hetty were batting, I think we’ve got to be better. I thought, honestly, even with the situation we had, we were close to getting 180 and that would have been a really good score because I knew it was going to be slowing down later, but yeah, the bowlers… No, it’s because of the wickets. At the start of the tournament, the message of the group was that we will be a team that assesses and adapts and I feel in the last two games, the wickets we got, they adapted really well and they batted according to the wicket and not just how they wanted to bat. It’s nothing to do with the middle order not scoring or whatever it is. If they get a flat wicket, they go guns blazing. If they get another wicket like this, they can take some time and then we move on from there. They’re complementing each other. I’m blessed. I mean, for two bowlers to bowl 3-3 in the power play at this stage of the game or how T20 cricket is evolving, I think it’s just commendable. The wicket was helping a little more to the seamers in the first innings, but then the second innings, we knew it would swing, but the lengths they bowled, the lines they bowled and the way we feel it, impressive. Everyone has been very supportive. I’ve been going through a phase as well. Right before the IPL, I had gone through something and then even now I’m going through something and everyone understands that. Everyone respects that and I thank them for that. I feel the way I’m batting and innings is not too far away, but as I’ve been saying, if I go in tomorrow and I play another game, it’s going to be what the team needs. It’s not me not scoring runs and taking my time getting 40 or 30. That’s not going to happen. I go out there, assess conditions. If they want me to go to 200 from ball one, I do that.

Ravindra Jadeja, Player of the Match 

Yeah, feeling good, you know, getting Man of the Match and winning the team. So, yeah, I’m feeling very good, but before I start, I would like to dedicate this award to Education Minister of Gujarat because she told me yesterday itself said that you’re gonna do wonders tomorrow. So I would like to thank her. (On hisbatting) Yeah, wicket was not that easy because ball was seaming and swinging. So I thought, let me play a longer as much as I can. And that is what I was talking to Donovan and whoever is coming next to batting. So I was just talking to him that we’ll play a longer because in T20 cricket, you never know. Last over, as we like we cashed in, like we got 20 odd runs in last over. So that is what the thinking behind. (On going after Mayank Yadav in the final over) Yeah, I think coming from injury, it’s not that easy bowling with that pace. But I was just backing my strength and I was talking to my partner that let’s back each other and let’s play good cricket shot. Because as I said, on this wicket, ball was seaming a lot and bounce was there. So it’s not that easy that you can play any shot at any given time. (On his celebration after Pooran’s wicket) Yeah, he’s in my pocket (chuckles). Nothing, just randomly a thought came into my mind and I did it. (On varying his pace) No, because the ball was gripping a little bit. So I was just thinking that should I bowl quicker on this wicket or should I bowl slow? So I thought, okay, I’d bowl a few slow balls. And then I realized that yeah, if I bowl slow, then I might get a little bit hold from the wicket. So that is what I was looking to do. (Different plan for Marsh) Because the midwicket side and long-in side was a little bit shorter compared to other sides. So I knew that he might play that shot at some stage. So I was just bowling and mixing up with my pace, slow, wide and full ball also. Today I was looked to bowl slow.