Lucknow, May 7 (IANS) Mitchell Marsh produced a breathtaking century while Rishabh Pant added late fireworks as hosts Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) piled up a commanding 209/3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a rain-curtailed Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 contest at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Thursday.

With persistent rain interruptions reducing the match to 19 overs per side, Marsh stood tall with a sensational 111 off just 56 deliveries, hammering nine fours and nine sixes in one of the finest innings of the season. Pant then provided the finishing flourish with an unbeaten 32 off 10 balls as LSG crossed the 200-run mark in style.

Put into bat after Rajat Patidar opted to bowl, LSG made a cautious start before Marsh exploded into life against Josh Hazlewood in the second over. The Australian all-rounder launched the RCB pacer for two towering sixes and never allowed the momentum to slip despite multiple rain stoppages.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar initially found movement with the new ball, but Marsh counterattacked fiercely, taking on both pace and spin. Krunal Pandya’s introduction did little to slow him down as the opener smashed the left-arm spinner for a four and a monstrous six in the fourth over.

Rain briefly halted proceedings twice during the Power-play, but Marsh resumed with even greater intensity after every interruption. Rasikh Salam Dar bore the brunt of the assault as Marsh hammered him for two sixes and a boundary in the fifth over, racing to a 20-ball half-century, his fastest in IPL history.

LSG finished the Power-play at 68 without loss, their highest opening stand of the season, with Marsh accounting for the bulk of the scoring. Arshin Kulkarni struggled for fluency at the other end but played second fiddle effectively during their 98-run opening partnership.

Marsh continued his domination after the restart, punishing Suyash Sharma and Romario Shepherd with clean hitting all around the ground. The landmark finally arrived in the 14th over when he carved Shepherd through point for four to bring up a stunning 49-ball century, the fastest hundred by an LSG batter in IPL history.

Krunal finally broke the opening stand by dismissing Kulkarni for 17, while Nicholas Pooran added useful momentum with a brisk 38 off 23 balls that included four boundaries and a six. Hazlewood eventually ended Marsh’s spectacular knock in the 17th over when Jacob Bethell completed a fine catch at deep point. But Pant ensured there was no slowdown at the death.

The LSG skipper smashed Hazlewood for two fours and a six in a costly over before taking apart Rasikh in the final over with three successive boundaries, including an audacious six over backward point off the final ball.

Despite disciplined spells in patches from Bhuvneshwar (0-34) and Krunal (1-31), RCB’s bowlers struggled to contain Marsh’s relentless assault as LSG posted a formidable total in the rain-affected encounter. RCB has a revised target to chase under the DLS method, which is 213.

Brief scores:

Lucknow Super Giants 209/3 in 19 overs (Mitchell Marsh 111, Nicholas Pooran 38, Rishabh Pant 32; Krunal Pandya 1-31) against Royal Challengers Bengaluru

–IANS

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