In a stunning display of cricket prowess, the Lucknow Super Giants clinched their inaugural victory of the Indian Premier League 2025 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The match, led by captain Rishabh Pant, saw a five-wicket triumph for LSG, thanks to the exceptional performances of Shardul Thakur and Nicholas Pooran.
Opting to bowl first, LSG’s strategy paid off early as Shardul Thakur unleashed a devastating spell. The seasoned pacer dismantled SRH’s top order, claiming the wickets of Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan in consecutive deliveries during the third over. Kishan, who had scored a century in the previous match, was dismissed for a golden duck, significantly unsettling the home team.
Despite a valiant effort from Travis Head, who scored a brisk 47 off 28 balls, Thakur’s relentless attack continued, eventually finishing with impressive figures of 4/34 in his four overs. He also accounted for the dismissals of Abhinav Manohar and Mohammed Shami. LSG’s young bowlers, Prince Yadav and Digvesh Rathi, also played crucial roles, with Yadav dismissing Head and Rathi taking out Aniket Verma.
SRH’s captain Pat Cummins tried to salvage the innings with a quickfire 18 off just four balls, but LSG’s disciplined bowling restricted SRH to a total of 190 runs.
Chasing the target, LSG faced an early setback with Aiden Markram falling cheaply to Mohammed Shami. However, the innings was transformed by the explosive batting of Nicholas Pooran. The left-hander unleashed a barrage of strokes, smashing seven fours and six sixes in a breathtaking 26-ball 70, dismantling the SRH bowling attack.
Mitchell Marsh provided solid support with a well-constructed 52 off 31 balls, while Rishabh Pant contributed a steady 15 off 15. Despite Cummins dismissing Pooran and Harshal Patel removing Pant, the unbeaten knocks from David Miller (13) and Abdul Samad (22) ensured LSG’s victory with 23 balls to spare.
Looking ahead, LSG is set to face the Punjab Kings in their next match on Tuesday at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.