Prince Yadav's Historic Wicket Seals LSG Victory Over RCB

Key facts

• Prince Yadav dismissed Virat Kohli for a duck on May 8.
• Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by nine runs.
• LSG posted 209/3 in 19 overs, setting a target of 213 via D/L method.
• Mitchell Marsh scored 111 off 56 balls for LSG.
• Virat Kohli's duck was his first in the IPL in 3,301 days.
• Prince Yadav finished with figures of 3 wickets for 33 runs in four overs.
• This was the 11th duck of Virat Kohli's IPL career.

A Wicket That Echoed Through the Stadium

The Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow fell silent, then erupted, as Prince Yadav achieved the unthinkable: dismissing Virat Kohli for a duck. This rare feat, occurring on Thursday night, marked a significant moment in the Indian Premier League (IPL) clash between the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). For Kohli, it was a particularly ignominious end to his innings, his first duck in the IPL since a match against Rajasthan Royals in 2023. The stark reality was that this dismissal ended a streak of 1,110 days without a golden duck in the league for the celebrated batsman. The match itself, reduced to 19 overs per side following a rain interruption, saw LSG post a formidable 209 for three, a total that ultimately proved decisive.

Marsh's Masterclass Sets the Stage

The foundation for LSG's commanding total was laid by an explosive innings from Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh. He bludgeoned his way to a sensational 111 off just 56 deliveries, a knock studded with nine fours and an equal number of sixes. Marsh's century, achieved in 49 balls, is the fastest by an LSG batter, surpassing Rishabh Pant's 54-ball hundred against RCB at the same venue last year. He reached his half-century in a mere 20 deliveries, the quickest of his IPL career, and only slower than Abhishek Sharma's 18-ball fifty in Lucknow. Supporting Marsh's brilliance were valuable contributions from Nicholas Pooran, who added a fluent 38 from 23 balls, and captain Rishabh Pant, whose aggressive 32 came off just 10 deliveries, ensuring LSG crossed the 200-run mark.

Prince Yadav's Dream Spell

Prince Yadav's historic moment arrived early, as he removed Virat Kohli for a duck, giving the home side a dream start. This dismissal was not merely a single wicket; it was a piece of history. It marked only the 11th time in Kohli's 18-year IPL career that he had been out for a duck in 269 innings. The young bowler continued his impactful spell, later breaking a crucial 95-run partnership between Devdutt Padikkal and Rajat Patidar by dismissing the former. He then went on to take the wicket of Jitesh Sharma for a single run in the same over. Concluding his four-over spell with impressive figures of 3 wickets for 33 runs, Yadav proved to be the game-changer. His performance was instrumental in LSG ending a six-match losing streak and securing a nine-run victory over RCB.

A Duck of Historical Significance

Virat Kohli's dismissal for a duck on Thursday was a rare occurrence, with the last such instance happening 3,301 days prior, on April 23, 2017. On that occasion, Nathan Coulter-Nile dismissed him for a golden duck against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, a match infamously remembered for RCB being bowled out for 49, the lowest total in IPL history. Prince Yadav's wicket holds another unique distinction: he is only the second bowler in IPL history to dismiss Kohli for a duck via a bowled dismissal. The only other bowler to achieve this was Dhawal Kulkarni in 2016 while playing for the Gujarat Lions. Remarkably, Yadav revealed that advice from Kohli himself after the reverse fixture played a role in his success. "As long as it's moving around off a length, stick to that length," Yadav recalled Kohli telling him, a piece of counsel he applied to devastating effect.

LSG Secures a Vital Nine-Run Victory

Chasing a revised target of 213 in 19 overs, Royal Challengers Bengaluru struggled to find momentum against a determined LSG bowling attack. Despite the efforts of their batsmen, they were ultimately restricted to 203 for nine, falling short by nine runs. The victory was a significant one for the Rishabh Pant-led LSG, snapping a six-match losing streak and boosting their campaign. Prince Yadav's pivotal bowling performance was central to this turnaround. Mitchell Marsh's century had provided LSG with a commanding total, and Yadav's early breakthrough, coupled with his later crucial wickets, proved to be the difference-maker on the night.

The bottom line

• Prince Yadav achieved a historic wicket by dismissing Virat Kohli for a duck.
• Virat Kohli's duck was his first in the IPL in 3,301 days.
• Mitchell Marsh's century powered LSG to 209/3.
• LSG defeated RCB by nine runs, ending a six-match losing streak.
• Prince Yadav's spell of 3/33 was crucial to the victory.
• Yadav credited advice from Virat Kohli for his successful dismissal.