Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) secured their first victory of the IPL 2025 season. The team won by five wickets against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Thursday.
Chasing a target of 191, Nicholas Pooran’s explosive innings of 70 runs off just 26 balls proved decisive, alongside Mitchell Marsh’s steady contribution of 52 off 29 deliveries. Earlier, Shardul Thakur’s impressive bowling figures of 4/34 restricted SRH to 190/9 despite a promising start.
SRH won the toss and chose to bat first. However, the team faced early setbacks as Shardul Thakur dismissed Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan in consecutive deliveries during the third over. Travis Head attempted to stabilise the innings with a brisk 47 off 28 balls, but his dismissal by Prince Yadav curtailed momentum.
Contributions from Nitish Kumar Reddy (32) and Heinrich Klaasen (26) helped SRH reach a competitive score. Nonetheless, the wickets fell regularly towards the end due to disciplined bowling from LSG.
Pooran and Marsh Dominate the Chase
As LSG began their chase, the team lost an early wicket. The partnership between Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh proved game-changing, as they added 116 runs for the second wicket. Pooran was particularly aggressive, hitting six fours and six sixes, and reaching his fifty in just 18 balls, which was the fastest of the season so far. Marsh complemented him well with calculated strokeplay before falling shortly after reaching his half-century.
Despite a few hiccups in the middle order, LSG comfortably achieved the target in just 16.1 overs, thanks to Abdul Samad’s finishing cameo. This victory marked a strong comeback for Lucknow after their opening defeat against Delhi Capitals earlier this week. With this win, LSG showcased their batting depth and resilience under pressure, while SRH will need to address their inconsistency in both batting and bowling as they move forward in the tournament.
