In a stunning display of dominance, Punjab Kings (PBKS) outclassed Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by eight wickets at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, sealing the victory with 22 balls to spare. The aftermath of the match, however, was dominated by controversy as LSG mentor Zaheer Khan expressed his dissatisfaction with the pitch preparation, suggesting it seemed more akin to a home advantage for PBKS.
“Considering it’s a home game and in IPL you’ve seen how teams have looked at taking a little bit of home advantage, when it comes to that, the curator didn’t appear to be thinking it’s a home game for us,” Zaheer commented at the post-match press conference. He added, “It almost seemed like it was the Punjab curator out here. That’s something we’ll figure out. This setup is new for me, but I hope this is the first and last time we see this. The Lucknow fans came with high expectations, and we’ve let them down.”
“We Expected a Slower Pitch,” Says LSG Skipper Rishabh Pant
LSG captain Rishabh Pant echoed similar sentiments, revealing that the team had anticipated a slower surface. When questioned about their strategy of deploying three spinners in the powerplay, Pant explained, “The plan was to exploit a slower wicket. We thought, being a home game, the pitch would offer some grip. The slower deliveries did hold up in patches, but we simply weren’t good enough on the day. It’s our first home game, and we’re still assessing conditions.”
This incident is not an isolated one in the IPL. Earlier, Ajinkya Rahane, captain of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), had also highlighted the importance of home advantage. Similarly, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) coach Stephen Fleming expressed frustration over pitch preparation following their loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Chennai.
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