Harshit Rana showcased a unique celebration after claiming the wicket of KL Rahul during the intense clash between Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders in Lucknow. Previously sidelined due to suspension, the right-arm pacer missed KKR’s last encounter against Mumbai Indians, facing penalties amounting to 100% of his match fee for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during a match against Delhi Capitals.
Although the specifics of the violation were undisclosed, it likely stemmed from a send-off gesture directed at DC batsman Abishek Porel. This marked Rana’s second offense of the season, having been fined 60% of his match fee earlier for a similar act against Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Mayank Agarwal at the Eden Gardens.
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All eyes were on Rana as he returned to action against LSG. He delivered an impressive first over, conceding only eight runs in the powerplay’s final over. In his subsequent over, he struck a critical blow by dismissing the formidable KL Rahul.
Following Rahul’s dismissal, the 22-year-old opted for a subdued celebration. Eschewing any provocative gestures, he instead chose a ‘shush’ celebration, pressing a finger to his lips, perhaps in a subtle response to IPL officials.
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In the ongoing match, LSG stood at 85 for 4 in the tenth over. In the earlier innings, KKR amassed a formidable total of 235 for 6 after being put in to bat first. Notably, KKR became the first team to breach the 200-run mark at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. Sunil Narine emerged as the star performer, blazing his way to 81 runs off just 39 deliveries, setting the stage for an imposing total.
Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): KL Rahul (c & wk), Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Ashton Turner, Ayush Badoni, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mohsin Khan, Yash Thakur
Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Philip Salt (wk), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh , Mitchell Starc, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana
