IPL 2025 AI Simulation | Kishan's match-winning knock takes SRH past LSG in tight chase at Ekana

Pitch and Weather

Toss

Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Lineups

LSG XII: Marsh, Markram, Pant (c/wk), Pooran, Miller, Badoni, Samad, Thakur, Avesh, Prince, Bishnoi, Rathi

SRH XII: Abhishek, Taide, Kishan, Reddy, Verma, Klaasen (wk), Manohar, Cummins (c), Unadkat, Ansari, Malinga, Harshal

Match Report

Lucknow Super Giants' hopes of making the playoffs all but ended with their fourth loss on the trot in IPL 2025, taking their overall tally to seven and keeping them in sixth with just 10 points to their name. Rishabh Pant's men failed to capitalize on home conditions as the already eliminated Orange Army crossed the chequered flag with three balls to spare and ensured back to back unsuccessful league campaigns for their rivals.

Asked to bat first, Lucknow once again enjoyed a riveting platform thanks to the on-song opening pair of Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh. After contending with the swinging new ball with caution, even as Mohammed Shami made the shiny Kookaburra hoop from end to end. However, once the score had ticked close to 50 in the powerplay, skipper Pat Cummins and Zeeshan Ansari put a stranglehold on the scoring rate, the latter especially efficient with his cutters and off-pace variations that first brought the wicket of Markram for a well-made 45 before extending Pant's struggles as he departed for a less-than run-a-ball 10. Nicholas Pooran combined with Marsh to provide the side some new impetus, the Windies hitter slogging two maximums and three boundaries in a blitz of 32, nbut twin blows from Ansari reduced the side to 140/6 heading into the death overs. David Miller and Ayush Badoni found strokes difficiult to make even as slight dew began to settle in, and some exceptional old-ball heroics from Jaydev Unadkat ensured the hosts could only muster a compeittive 177/7.

In response, Ishan Kishan walked out to open with Abhishek Sharma after Travis Head went down with COVID-19 on the eve of the encounter and the Indian duo made sure the Aussie's absence was hardly felt. Abhishek as usual showed no restraint while spraying boundaries for fun in his quickfire 44, but in a rare showing was outdone by his young compatriot in terms of hitting prowess as the duo racked up 105-runs effortlessly. The visitors were cruising towards a huge win but a dreaded middle-order collapse triggered by Ravi Bishnoi and aided by Shardu Thakur completely broke their momentum, taking the encounter to the wire. Much to their fortune, Aniket Verma and Cummins held their nerves even after the likes of Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Abhinav Manohar departed, their 26-run seventh wicket stand confirming the victory with three balls to spare.   

Player of the Match

Ishan Kishan returned to form in style, backing up his century in the season opener with just his second 50-plus score of the season  -- this one also enabling his team to win the match and earning him the player of the match award.

Scorecard