'Madness': Cricket world stunned by never-before-seen moment

Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul have left the cricket world in disbelief after an extraordinary record-breaking display of batting for Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

South African de Kock and Rahul belted the highest opening partnership in Indian Premier League history, with their remarkable 210-run stand propelling LSG to a two-run win over the Kolkata Knight Riders.

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De Kock scored an unbeaten 140 off 70 balls at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and captain Rahul scored 68 not out from 51 balls as they became the first opening pair to bat all 20 overs in an IPL innings.

Their opening stand surpassed the previous best of 185 by Jonny Bairstow and David Warner for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2019.

The unbelievable innings saw de Kock set the highest individual score this season and the third-highest in the competition's history, after Chris Gayle's 175 not out for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India in 2013, and Brendon McCullum's 158 not out for KKR against RCB in 2008.

"I was a little bit cooked. But I had to get out there and get on with the job. It was just a bit of frustration that came out," said De Kock.

"The last couple of games, the way I was getting out ... it was just a bit of release. I didn't know what I was thinking, I was just keeping it in."

Lucknow hold on to secure playoffs berth

Chasing a target of 211, Kolkata got off to a poor start with both openers out for single-digit scores.

Nitish Rana (42) and captain Shreyas Iyer (50) helped them bounce back before Rinku Singh (40 from 15 balls) lit up their run chase.

Rinku and Sunil Narine (21 not out) hit 17 in the 19th over, leaving Kolkata to chase 21 in the final over.

Rinku piled pressure on Lucknow as he hit Australian allrounder Marcus Stoinis for a four and two sixes in the first three balls of the final over, with Kolkata needing only three runs off the final two balls to win.

But Stoinis held his nerve as he dismissed Rinku on the fifth ball, with Evin Lewis taking a stunning one-handed catch.

Stoinis completed the job by taking out Umesh Yadav with a yorker on the final delivery as Lucknow joined fellow new franchise Gujarat Titans in the playoffs.

"There haven't been so many games that have gone to the last ball," said Rahul.

"Yes, they have gone to the last over but not so close. Happy to be on the other side, good way to finish the last game of the league stage."

with agencies

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