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Lucknow Super Giants stayed alive in IPL 2026 with a gritty win that finally snapped their losing streak. Mitchell Marsh lit up the night with a brutal century, while Prince Yadav shone with the ball, helping LSG edge out Royal Challengers Bengaluru by nine runs via DLS in a rain-hit, tense contest on Thursday. The home crowd finally saw a victory, as multiple rain delays\u2014three, in total, with nearly an hour lost\u2014meant both sides had only 19 overs each.<\/p>\n
Bengaluru put LSG into bat, and Marsh immediately took charge. He hammered 111 off just 56 balls, barely pausing even when the weather kept interfering with the action. LSG still managed 209 for 3, but after yet another rain break cost one over, Bengaluru\u2019s target bumped up to 213.<\/p>\n
LSG\u2019s bowlers, though, handled the pressure. Prince led the way, picking up 3 for 33 and keeping the defending champs in check at 203 for 6.<\/p>\n
Right at the start, veteran seamer Mohammed Shami struck in the first over, luring Jacob Bethell into an edge for an early breakthrough. Moments later, Prince Yadav produced a beauty to bowl Virat Kohli\u2014a 140 kph delivery that darted back in and shattered both middle and off stump. Kohli hadn\u2019t had a duck in the IPL since April 2023.<\/p>\n
Prince summed it up after the game: \u201cI misfielded the first ball, but I just told myself to move on and focus. After our last match, I spoke with Virat bhaiya and he said, \u2018If it\u2019s moving off a length, just stick to that.\u2019 We\u2019ve lost six straight, but we\u2019ll keep fighting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bengaluru\u2019s chase was reeling at 9 for 2, but Devdutt Padikkal (34) and skipper Rajat Patidar (61) shook off the early blows. Boundaries flowed, and the partnership built up confidence. Patidar especially let loose, smashing Rathi and Mayank Yadav for a series of big sixes.<\/p>\n
The pair added 95 for the third wicket, and just as it looked like RCB might turn the tables, LSG skipper Pant tossed the ball to Prince again. The move worked instantly: Prince dismissed Padikkal with a sharp return catch, then sent back Jitesh Sharma soon after. Four balls later, Patidar fell to a running catch from Aiden Markram, starting a mini-collapse\u2014three wickets gone in no time.<\/p>\n
Tim David, Krunal Pandya (28), and Romario Shepherd (23<\/em>) still kept Bengaluru sniffing around, but Digvesh Rathi kept his cool, successfully defending 20 runs in the final over.<\/p>\n Earlier, Marsh\u2019s fireworks set the tone. He and Arshin Kulkarni (17) stitched together 95 for the first wicket, before Marsh joined forces with Nicholas Pooran (38) for another 70. When Marsh fell, Rishabh Pant took over, blasting 32 off just 10 balls to give LSG a powerful finish.<\/p>\n Marsh just never let up. From the start, he pounded the ball all around\u2014his 56-ball knock included nine fours and nine sixes, most coming in the Powerplay. Hazlewood got the roughest treatment: Marsh pummeled him for two massive sixes and a string of boundaries.<\/p>\n Even though rain interrupted things for 30 minutes, it barely slowed LSG. Krunal Pandya ended Kulkarni\u2019s nervous innings, but Pooran kept the charge alive. Marsh passed his century with style, and though he was dropped on 110 by Padikkal, he didn\u2019t last much longer\u2014Hazlewood finally held on at deep point.<\/p>\n With Marsh out, Pant\u2019s cameo sealed the deal, cracking four fours and two sixes to leave LSG with a total just out of RCB\u2019s reach. This time, the home team walked away with a win\u2014and their playoff hopes, at least for now, are still alive.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n