Former cricketer Slam Pant for poor performance Lucknow Super Giants won a last-ball thriller against Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday, with debutant Mukul Choudhary single-handedly pulling the chase. Despite LSG’s win, former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif criticized Rishabh Pant and said the captain needs to improve his awareness of the game and take more responsibility. Pant endured another stunning outing, scoring just 10 runs as LSG’s top order struggled. However, the team managed to pull off a thrilling three-wicket victory in Kolkata. Pant’s form has been inconsistent this season, with two low scores flanking a solitary half-century in the first three matches.
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How Justin Langer’s faith helped Mukul Choudhary shine In an interview with Star Sports, Kaif highlighted the lack of consistency and emphasized that an experienced player like Pant should take up the chase and bat till the end.”…the team needed him to stay till the end,” Kaif said. One batsman needed to take charge and lead the chase and that role was meant for Pant.”Kaif further emphasized the importance of leadership and stated that a captain must lead from the front.“As a captain, if you don’t take responsibility, you can’t help your team win matches. Yes, he did well against SRH, but he needs consistency. One good innings followed by failures is not enough. He needs to read the match situation better and understand when to step up.”He also advised Pant to focus on building innings and spend more time at the crease.“A captain’s role in the chase is to stay till the end and that is something Pant needs to work on,” Kaif added.Lucknow Super Giants pulled off a thrilling last-ball victory against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens, chasing 182 in dramatic fashion. KKR batted first, posting a competitive 181/4 with useful contributions across the order. However, despite the solid platform, they were unable to take full advantage.In response, LSG found themselves under pressure in the middle of the chase, but a stunning fightback from the lower order turned the match around. Ayush Badoni anchored the innings with a half-century while debutant Mukul Choudhary stole the show with a fearless 54 off 27 balls.The match went down to the final ball where Choudhary held his nerve to seal a memorable win for LSG. His knock not only completed the chase, but also announced his arrival on the big stage.
