Aiden Markram doesn't quite have a superstar status. Nor does he come across as a household name outside South Africa. But when the chips are down, his team can certainly trust him to put in an effort and bail it out.

There have been quite a few occasions when Markram has brought the Proteas out of the woods. Against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on Saturday, he did the rescue act for Lucknow Super Giants with a 45-ball 66, which was crucial to propelling the team total to 180/5.

Of course, by no means would the Super Giants have been able to cross even 170 if not for Abdul Samad's unbeaten 30 off 10 balls.

But before that, their innings could have gone nowhere if not for Markram's gritty knock and his crucial 76-run partnership with the Super Giants' Impact Player Ayush Badoni, who too played an important role with his 50 off 34 balls.

Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, the Royals, without regular captain Sanju Samson (out injured), had Lucknow wobbling at 54/3 in the eighth over. To make matters worse for Lucknow, their game-changer Nicholas Pooran too was back at the dugout alongside opener Mitchell Marsh - dismissed by Jofra Archer - and captain Rishabh Pant, who scored a painstaking nine-ball three.

Markram, however, remained steady on one end. Maintaining his composure, he chanced his arms whenever he sensed an opportunity. And the execution was perfect.

The pitch at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium did have a bit of help in it for the spinners, which Royals' Wanindu Hasaranga (2/32) made good use of. But till the time Markram was at the crease, he never quite came across as uncomfortable against the Sri Lankan tweaker.

Badoni, too, did his job smartly, taking pressure off Markram, who finished with five boundaries and three maximums.

Badoni, on his part, hit five boundaries and a six.

Samad assault

The Royals seemed hopeful of restricting the Super Giants well within 170, especially when the scorecard read 143/5 in 17.3 overs following Badoni's dismissal off pacer Tushar Deshpande (1/26), who wasn't erratic for a change. But Samad turned it around in the final over of the innings with four sixes off Sandeep Sharma, who kept erring in line and length.

Samad alone took 26 off that 20th over, which cost the Royals 27.

Samad assault

The Royals seemed hopeful of restricting the Super Giants well within 170, especially when the scorecard read 143/5 in 17.3 overs following Badoni's dismissal off pacer Tushar Deshpande (1/26), who wasn't erratic for a change. But Samad turned it around in the final over of the innings with four sixes off Sandeep Sharma, who kept erring in line and length.

Samad alone took 26 off that 20th over, which cost the Royals 27.