Lucknow Super Giants Edge Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur Thriller
Just when you thought the IPL couldn’t serve up more drama, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) turned up the heat at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium. LSG eked out a nerve-wracking 2-run victory, leaving fans at the edge of their seats right until the very last delivery. The result left both sides locked on 10 points, spicing up the playoff race as the tournament hits its stride.
LSG skipper Rishabh Pant wasted no time in making his intentions clear, opting to bat first after calling the toss right. But Lucknow’s confidence took an early hit. Rajasthan’s bowlers, keen to stamp their authority on the game, sent Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran back to the dugout before they could cause any real damage. Sandeep Sharma swung the ball, and Ravichandran Ashwin tied things down, but there was no stopping a composed Aiden Markram. He anchored the innings with a calm head, picking gaps and rotating the strike, ensuring the Super Giants didn’t lose their way after the initial stutters.
Bharat Ratna Chawla chipped in with a handy cameo, while Marcus Stoinis and Rishabh Pant ensured the scoreboard kept ticking. But it was the strategic move to bring in Ayush Badoni—substituting Marsh as an Impact Player—that gave the innings an important boost. Badoni’s cheeky boundaries in the final overs pushed LSG to a solid 180/5, a score that looked competitive on a ground that hadn’t offered much assistance to bowlers all evening.
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s Heroics Not Enough as Avesh Khan Steals the Spotlight
Chasing 181, Rajasthan Royals had all the pieces in place. Yashasvi Jaiswal, in cracking form this season, played like a man possessed, racing to a 74 that had Royals fans dreaming of yet another famous run chase. Riyan Parag provided steady company, and with the required rate never out of reach, RR appeared to be cruising at 155/3, needing just 25 off 19 balls. The atmosphere in Jaipur was buzzing, the crowd sensing a home win within touching distance.
But cricket is never that simple, especially in the IPL. Enter Avesh Khan. The LSG pacer, who had looked threatening in patches, saved his best for crunch time. With RR requiring only 9 from the last over and six wickets in hand, most would have bet on the Royals. Khan, though, had other ideas. In a burst of high-quality, intelligent bowling, he first removed the dangerous Parag, then sent Shimron Hetmyer walking before the Royals knew what hit them. Suddenly, the equation read 4 needed from 1 ball, then 2 from the last, but Khan held his nerve. He finished with 3 wickets for 37 runs, grabbing the Player of the Match for his efforts.
Shimron Hetmyer and Dhruv Jurel, both known for their finishing skills, couldn't close out the chase. Rajasthan finished at 178/5, tantalizingly short of the target. For the Royals, it felt like a match lost from an unlosable position – and Jaiswal’s 74 was reduced to a footnote instead of a match-winning knock.
With this gritty win, Lucknow joins a hotly contested top four, their tactical tweaks and bowlers’ discipline paying off under pressure. Rajasthan, meanwhile, will rue their missed opportunity but know there’s plenty of cricket left in this wild, unpredictable IPL 2025 season.
