Marcus Stoinis of Lucknow Super Giants. File.
| Photo Credit: SANDEEP SAXENA
Australia and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) all-rounder Marcus Stoinis registered the highest individual score ever during a run-chase in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on April 23.
The veteran accomplished this feat during his side’s game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Chepauk Stadium.
While the wickets were falling and the run rate was climbing at the other end, Stoinis held the other end steady, playing a knock of perfectly calculated aggression and caution to breach CSK’s Chepauk fortress for the first time this season. He made an unbeaten 124* in 63 balls, with 13 fours and six sixes. His strike rate was 196.83.
Stoinis overtook Punjab Kings’ batter Paul Valthaty’s record of 120* that he made against the same opposition back in 2011 during a run-chase of 189.
This knock by Stoinis is also the second-highest individual score by an LSG batter. The highest score by an LSG batter is held by South Africa’s Quinton de Kock, who smashed 140* in 70 balls with 10 fours and 10 sixes during a run chase of 209 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) back in 2022.
This knock of 124* is also the highest individual score against CSK in IPL history, breaking the record of Indian legend Virender Sehwag, who made 122 for Punjab Kings during the IPL 2014 Qualifier Two in Mumbai.
In eight matches this season, Stoinis has scored 254 runs at an average of 42.33 and a strike rate of over 159, with a century and fifty.
Coming to the match, LSG opted to bowl first. After a slow start, it was a century from skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (108 in 60 balls, with 12 fours and three sixes) and an explosive half-century from in-form Shivam Dube (66 in 27 balls, with three fours and seven sixes) that powered CSK to 210/4 in their 20 overs.
Matt Henry, Mohsin Khan and Yash Thakur got a wicket each for LSG.
In the run-chase, LSG struggled to catch the right tempo in the first half and was 88/3 in 11 overs. But it was Stoinis, who was sent up the order, kept his side in the hunt with his ferocious striking. Cameos from Nicholas Pooran (34 in 15 balls, with six fours and two sixes) and Deepak Hooda (17* in six balls, with two fours and a six) relieved some pressure from the Aussie star’s shoulders as he blasted 17 runs within three balls of the final over to seal a six-wicket win. Stoinis was unbeaten on 124 in 63 balls, with 13 fours and six sixes.
Stoinis took home the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
LSG is in the fourth spot with five wins and three losses, giving them 10 points. CSK has dropped to fifth spot, with four wins, four losses and a total of eight points.
