Mayank Yadav celebrates after taking the wicket of RCB's Cameron Green (L) during the IPL match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday night. AFP

Mayank Yadav bowled a sensational spell of pace bowling, including the fastest delivery of the season measured at 156.7, and claimed 3-14 to help Lucknow Super Giants beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 28 runs in match 15 of Indian Premier League 2024 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old Yadav, who had taken 3-27 in his debut match against Punjab Kings on Saturday, had breached the 150kmph mark nine times at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium and bowled an absolute scorcher captured by the speed gun at 155.8 kph — the fastest delivery in the ongoing season.

On Tuesday, he was at it again as the right-handed pacer raised the bar once again. Yadav, a product of Sonnet Club of Delhi, touched 156.7 kmph against Cameron Green in Tuesday’s clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

He got the wickets of Glenn Maxwell (0), Cameron Green (9) and Rajat Patidar (29) and with Naveen-Ul-Haq claiming 2-25, Lucknow Super Giants bowled out RCB for 153 in 19.4 overs to win their second win in three matches and moved up to fourth in the standings with four points, the same as Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, and Gujarat Titans. Rajasthan Royals lead the standings with six points from three matches.

Yadav’s heroics came after opener Quinton de Kock had blasted a 56-ball 81 to lay the foundation while Nicholas Pooran hammered five massive sixes in the final two overs of the match in scoring a 21-ball 40 to propel LSG to 181/5 in 20 overs after RCB had applied the brakes in the middle overs.

“Glad to have him in our team,” De Kock said of Lucknow’s pace ace. “He is bowling rockets at the moment. He is keeping things simple. Youngsters bowling express pace can get caught up trying different things.” Shaun Tait bowled the IPL’s fastest ever ball in 2011 at 157.71 km/h.

Delhi-born Yadav went to Lucknow for $24,000 ahead of the 2023 edition but was ruled out by an injury that cost him the entire season. He has set the tournament alight in his first two matches and ultimately dreams of representing his country.

“I feel very good, winning two player of the match awards, but I am happier that we won both the matches,” he said. “My aim is to play for India as much as possible. So I feel this is just the start and my main goal is what I am focused on.”

RCB had got off a good start with Virat Kohli, who had struck back-to-back half-centuries in the tournament so far, striking two boundaries and a six in scoring a 16-ball 22.

The former RCB and India captain fell to left-arm spinner Manimaran Siddharth in the fifth over as LSG skipper opened the bowling with left-arm spinners from both ends. Krunal Pandya conceded 10 runs in the only over he bowled but Siddharth finished with 1-21 in the three overs he bowled on Tuesday night.

LSG suffered another blow as skipper Faf du Plessis was run out to a superb piece of direct throw by Davdutt Padikkal for 19. Yadav then sent back Maxwell and Cameron Green in quick succession as RCB fell to 58/4 in the eighth over. Anuj Rawat (11) and Rajat Patidar (29, 21b, 2x4, 2x6) tried to revive the innings but both of them fell in quick succession and RCB were 103/6 and staring at defeat.

Mahipal Lomror raised their hopes with some lusty hitting, hammering three huge sixes and as many boundaries for a brilliant 13-ball 39, and towards the end of the innings Mohammed Siraj blasted back-to-back sixes off Ravi Bishnoi before he was caught sensationally by Nicholas Pooran off Naveen-Ul-Haq off the fourth ball of the final over as RCB ended on the losing note.

While Yadav hogged the limelight for his mesmerizing pace bowling, LSG did well in the field too, catching and fielding superbly. Devdutt Padikkal took three catches and effected a run out while Nicholas Pooran also took three catches and got a run-out with a direct hit.

LSG captain KL Rahul lauded the pacer after the game and hailed his performance against the du Plessis side. Rahul joked that he rather enjoy Mayank’s bowling from 20 yards behind the stumps rather than facing him with the bat in hand.

Rahul said that one of Mayank’s ball hit him really hard in the glove. “Yeah one ball hit me really hard but so happy to see Mayank bowl the way he has in the last couple of games. Quietly waited for two seasons because of injury but he has been working very hard,” he added.

Agencies