A Sluggish Start, a Fiery Finish for LSG
Asked to bat first, LSG had a shaky start as they lost key players Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran within the powerplay. Marsh was undone by a clever Jofra Archer delivery, and Pooran fell LBW to Sandeep Sharma, leaving LSG at 46/2.
The skipper Rishabh Pant continues his flop show and fell for just 3 runs off 9 balls, courtesy of a sharp catch behind the stumps by Dhruv Jurel, standing in for the injured Sanju Samson. But Aiden Markram anchored the innings with poise, notching up a fluent 66 off 45 balls and sharing a 76-run partnership with the young Ayush Badoni.
Though Wanindu Hasaranga struck again to send Markram back, Badoni continued the momentum and brought up a well-deserved half-century. The real fireworks, however, came in the final over. Abdul Samad launched a brutal assault on Sandeep Sharma, smashing four sixes in a 27-run over that powered LSG to 180/5 at the end of their 20 overs.
A Historic Debut & a Dream Start for RR
Before RR’s chase even began, history was made. Vaibhav Suryavanshi, at just 14 years old, became the youngest debutant in IPL history. And what a debut it was on just the first ball he faced in the tournament, he launched Shardul Thakur over cover for a sensational six.
Not to be overshadowed, Yashasvi Jaiswal continued his rich vein of form. The young opening pair powered RR to 61/0 by the end of the powerplay, with Jaiswal racing to a 31-ball half-century his third in a row. Suryavanshi dazzled with a 20-ball 34 (2 fours, 3 sixes) before falling to Markram, while Nitish Rana’s quick dismissal added a hiccup to an otherwise smooth chase.
Still, Jaiswal and Riyan Parag looked to have things well in control with a 62-run stand that brought RR to within touching distance of the target. With just 25 needed from 19 balls, it seemed RR were cruising to a comfortable win.
The Final Twist – Avesh Khan Turns the Game
Cricket fans know all too well that the game isn’t over until the final ball, and this match proved just that.
Avesh Khan stepped up with ice in his veins. First, he dismissed the set Jaiswal for a brilliant 74 (52 balls), then Parag for 39, shifting the momentum back in LSG’s favor. With 19 needed off 11, and Hetmyer at the crease, RR were still favorites.
Hetmyer brought the equation down to 6 off 4 balls in the final over. But then came the turning point — Hetmyer miscued a low full toss straight to Shardul Thakur. Avesh followed up with two inch-perfect yorkers, and RR’s hopes crumbled under pressure.
LSG clinched a thrilling two-run win — a comeback for the ages, thanks to Avesh’s 3/37 and nerves of steel at the death.
Points Table Shake-Up
With this win, LSG vaulted into the top four, joining the league’s leading pack with 10 points from eight games. The race to the playoffs is heating up, and if this match is any indication, IPL 2025 is just getting started.
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