The Lucknow Super Giants set a respectable total of 161/7 in their allotted 20 overs, with Nicholas Pooran contributing 45 runs from 32 deliveries. Mitchell Starc, who had been struggling with form, found his groove by claiming three wickets while conceding 28 runs.
In the second innings, Kolkata’s opening pair Phil Salt and Sunil Narine took the field, with KL Rahul entrusting the first over to Shamar Joseph. However, the 24-year-old pacer faced a rough start, with his first over proving costly.
Initially, Joseph kept it tight, conceding just eight runs. However, a no-ball signaled trouble on the last delivery. Returning to bowl the extra ball, he unfortunately delivered a wide.
This was followed by two more wides, one of which raced to the boundary. Amidst this, another no-ball was bowled, resulting in 14 runs being conceded already, with Salt poised to capitalize on the free hit. Despite the setback, Joseph managed to deliver a legal ball, but Salt dispatched it for a six, marking a disastrous debut for the West Indian.
However, amidst the disappointment, KL Rahul was observed comforting Joseph, offering words of encouragement as he placed a reassuring hand on his back.
— Debi Jag (@DebiJag608) April 14, 2024
Shamar Joseph’s challenging IPL debut quickly ignited discussions across social media platforms, with the Twitterverse reacting swiftly.