IPL 2023: Wood stars as Lucknow Super Giants outplay Delhi Capitals for huge win in first home game

Having missed the last season, English pacer Mark Wood couldn’t have hoped for a better debut for his new franchise. And having played in neutral venues all last year, Lucknow Super Giants couldn’t have hoped for a better homecoming.

Wood bagged a five-wicket haul in a sensational spell of pace bowling as Super Giants began life at Lucknow with a big win over Delhi Capitals by 50 runs in the Indian Premier League on Saturday.

West Indies batter Kyle Mayers smashed 73 off 38 balls to guide Lucknow to 193-6 after being invited to bat first in the second match of the day on their homeground.

Wood then rattled the opposition chase and returned impressive figures of 5-14 in his first appearance for Lucknow as Delhi were restricted to 143-9.

The express bowler, who consistently bowled close to 150 kmh (93 mph), cleaned up Prithvi Shaw and then bowled Mitchell Marsh for a duck on successive balls.

Sarfaraz Khan prevented the hat-trick but later fell to Wood when he was caught at fine leg.

Despite some resistance from skipper David Warner (56) and Rilee Rossouw (30) the Delhi batting faltered.

Warner, an explosive left-hand opener who was made captain in the absence of the injured Rishabh Pant, reached his fifty and hit some entertaining...

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