'I am happy to let them take my spot:' LSG star talks about national team snub after match-winning century against CSK
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) clinched a thrilling victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Chepauk the previous night. Chasing a daunting 211, LSG completed the run-chase in 19.3 overs to stun the home crowd to earn two valuable points and move to the fourth position in the points table.
The chief architect of the chase was Marcus Stoinis, who came to bat at No.3 in the first over of the innings. Stoinis was prudent with his shots and calculated the chase precisely to seal the deal for his side with three balls to spare.
He amassed a whopping 124 runs in a mere 63 deliveries, including 13 boundaries and six maximums, and stayed unbeaten till the end. Stoinis held one end tightly and hit boundaries at regular intervals to never let the required rate slip out of grasp.
Nicholas Pooran and Deepak Hooda also contributed handsomely with their impactful knocks and took the pressure off Stoinis as much as possible. Indeed, it was a memorable run chase, the highest in Chennai in the competition.
TAKE. A. BOW Marcus Stoinis 🔥🔥
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 23, 2024
Magnificent knock under pressure and he gets his side over the line 🥳
Recap the match LIVE on @StarSportsIndia and @JioCinema 💻📱#TATAIPL | #CSKvLSG | @LucknowIPL pic.twitter.com/3rlRLvftDO
Marcus Stoinis talks about national team snub after match-winning century against CSK
As Marcus Stoinis played an innings of a lifetime, the talks about his selection in the T20 World Cup gathered pace. It’s worth noting that Stoinis wasn’t offered a national contract by Cricket Australia (CA), and his spot for the world event is not certain.
During the post-match interview, Harsha Bhogle asked Stoinis, who won the Player of the Match award, whether this knock was a message to his national team. The Aussie all-rounder replied he has a good relationship with the head coach, Andrew McDonald and is happy to let young faces take his spot but expressed his wish to play for Australia.
"I’ve got a great relationship with the coach (Australian Head coach). Me, not getting a contract - I knew that a while ago. It’s great to give younger kids a crack and let them take my spot. I am absolutely fine with that on the contract list. But on the playing front, I still obviously want to make sure I am there."
As visible in Chennai, Marcus Stoinis is still a great addition to any T20 side and can change the game singlehandedly. He contributes to all departments and will surely bolster Australia’s chances if picked for the T20 World Cup 2024.
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