Speedster Mayank Yadav bowled the quickest ball of the new IPL season at 156.7 km/h (97.4 mph) in a fiery spell to power Lucknow Super Giants to a 28-run win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Lucknow rode Quinton De Kock’s 56-ball 81 and an unbeaten 40 by Nicholas Pooran to post 181-5 at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
New pace sensation Yadav then turned up the heat with his thunderbolts to return with figures of 3-14, which included removing Glenn Maxwell for a duck and bowling Cameron Green for nine.
Bengaluru were bowled out for 153 and suffered their third loss in four matches this season. Lucknow won their second straight match after an opening defeat.
The 21-year-old Yadav surpassed his previous top speed, having sent down a ball at 155.8 km/h on his IPL debut in Lucknow’s first win of the season on Saturday.
Shaun Tait bowled IPL’s fastest ever ball in 2011 at 157.71 km/h.
Bengaluru lost the wickets of Virat Kohli, skipper Faf du Plessis and Maxwell in the space of nine deliveries and three runs.
Left-arm spinner Manimaran Siddharth, who came in as impact substitute in place of De Kock, got Kohli as his debut wicket as the star batsman miscued a shot to backward point and walked back after his 22 off 16 balls.
Du Plessis was run out in the next over off a direct throw and three balls later Yadav had Maxwell out caught at mid-on with his searing pace.
Lucknow skipper KL Rahul showered high praise on Yadav who had missed the previous IPL season due to an injury.
“Mayank bowled the way he has in the last couple of games. Quietly waited for two seasons because of injury but he has been working very hard. He understands bowling 155kph is not easy. It’s great seeing him bowl that fast from behind the stumps,” Rahul said.
Wickets kept tumbling and despite cameos from Rajat Patidar, who made 29, and Mahipal Lomror, who hit 33 off 13, the chase ended tamely.
De Kock set up victory at the top of the order with an attacking knock featuring eight fours and five sixes, and put on a key 56-run stand with Marcus Stoinis, who hit 24 off 15 balls.
Bengaluru slowed the surge with disciplined bowling in the middle overs before Pooran, who was dropped on two, hit back with three sixes off Reece Topley.
Brief scores
Lucknow Super Giants 181/5 in 20 overs (Quinton De Kock 81, Nicholas Pooran 40*, Glenn Maxwell 2/23) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru 153 (Mahipal Lomror 33, Rajat Patidar 29; Mayank Yadav 3-14).
Wednesday’s match
Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Visakhapatnam
6 pm UAE Time