“LSG Were Expecting Those Wickets From Me”- Naveen-ul-Haq on His 4-Wicket Haul in IPL 2023 Eliminator

Mumbai Indians took on Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2023 Eliminator at the Chepauk Stadium on May 24. In the MI vs LSG game, pacer Naveen-ul-Haq bowled an incredible spell and took a 4-wicket haul to keep his team in the hunt after which he stated that the LSG side were expecting those wickets from him.

Naveen is a regular member of Afghanistan international side and has played the most games between the LSG pacers, who had Mohsin Khan and Yash Thakur in their line-up. Even their spinners Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi and K Gowtham don’t have as much international experience as Naveen-ul-Haq.

“I think they (Green and Surya) had a good partnership, and we needed a breakthrough at that point. I came back as a leader in this attack and they were expecting me to get the breakthrough, and so did I. So, happy for that,” Naveen-ul-Haq replied to the broadcaster during mid innings break.

We were expecting the ball to spin and grip: Naveen-ul-Haq on IPL 2023 Eliminator pitch

“We were expecting the ball to spin and grip, but it was coming well off the bat. Hundred percent, the ball was coming well in the bat and it feels like a better wicket than yesterday,” the pacer commented about the track used in the MI vs LSG clash.

The LSG pacer dismissed Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and Cameron Green in the Mumbai Indians‘ line-up to restrict them to 182-8 in IPL 2023 Eliminator. All the four crucial batters had got starts but Naveen got rid off them before they could play a handy innings.

Naveen getting Suryakumar Yadav and Green in one over allowed LSG to pull back the game in their favor. Mumbai Indians were at least 15 short of the par-score and also needed to replace Suryakumar Yadav with Impact Player Nehal Wadhera, whose 23 off 12 balls took them past 180-run mark.

Cameron Green, who hammered a ton in the final league match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, slammed 6 boundaries and 1 six while Suryakumar Yadav hit 2 maximums and an equal number of fours in his 20-ball knock and was looking pretty threatening before getting dismissed by Naveen-ul-Haq.