- Nasima Akter
Gautam Gambhir Shushes Fans After LSG's Win
Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir is in the headlines once again, this time for a gesture he made towards the home fans after his team's thrilling victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 match on Monday.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) managed to pull off an incredible last-ball win, with Gambhir's fiery character shining through as he celebrated the victory.
With just five runs needed to win from the last six balls, LSG had three wickets in hand and the duo of Mark Wood and Jaydev Unadkat at the crease. Despite RCB picking up two wickets in those six balls, a fumble from wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik on the last ball of the over saw LSG emerge victorious in a nail-biting finish.
A Viral Celebration
The team's mentor and former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir was visibly ecstatic, roaring in delight. He was also seen exchanging handshakes with RCB players before giving a 'finger on lips' gesture to the home fans. The video of his celebration has since gone viral on social media.
But it wasn't just Gambhir who was pumped up after the victory. LSG captain KL Rahul was thrilled with the win and praised his team's lower-order batsmen, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, and Ayush Badoni, for their superb performance.
Rahul also acknowledged the tough position he found himself in, batting at number five, and praised the resilience of his team to come back from a difficult position to win the match.
Aside from celebrations over the win, there was another moment that went viral after the match. It was between Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli.
The two cricketers have had a history of rivalry, but their hug after the match was a reminder of the true spirit of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The image of the two Delhi boys hugging each other and chatting amicably went viral on social media, with fans hailing it as a moment of sportsmanship and respect.
Team Status for the IPL
The victory for LSG was one of the highest successful run-chases in the history of the T20 league, ranking 4th on the overall list behind Rajasthan Royals (224 vs Punjab Kings), Mumbai Indians (219 vs Chennai Super Kings), and Rajasthan Royals (219 vs Deccan Chargers).
RCB had posted a competitive total of 212 runs, with Virat Kohli (61), Faf du Plessis (79), and Glenn Maxwell (59) leading the scoring. However, LSG's Marcus Stoinis (65 off 30), Nicholas Pooran (62 off 19), and Ayush Badoni (30) put up an outstanding performance to help the team secure the top spot in the IPL 2023 standings, while RCB has dropped down to 7th place.
Love him or hate him, Gambhir's larger-than-life personality and winning attitude are certainly making waves in the IPL this season.
As for the team, LSG's impressive win has propelled them to the top of the IPL 2023 points table, with an impressive record of three victories from four games.
Boasting a commendable net run rate of +1.048, they have certainly emerged as a team to watch out for this season. Their next match will be against the Punjab Kings on April 15.
