Lucknow Super Giants’ journey in the IPL 2023 concluded on Wednesday, May 24, as they were eliminated from the tournament by the Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator match. LSG faced a crushing 81-run defeat as they could only manage 101 runs in 16.3 overs while chasing a target of 183 set by Rohit Sharma’s team. In a crucial decision, LSG opted to bench Quinton de Kock for this important match.
Instead, Kyle Mayers returned to the playing XI as an impact player, taking de Kock’s place. Mayers had previously impressed with a remarkable 50 in the team’s last game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. However, he failed to replicate that performance this time, getting dismissed by Chris Jordan for 18 runs from 13 balls in the fourth over.
Pandya was asked about the surprising decision to rest de Kock during the post-match presentation. In response, he explained, “Quinton de Kock is undoubtedly a skilled batsman, but considering Kyle Mayers’ impressive track record here at Chepauk, we decided to include him in the playing XI.”
