Lucknow Super Giants Triumph Over Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2025: A Dominant 5-Wicket Victory
Hyderabad, March 27
In a thrilling encounter at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) handed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) their first home defeat of the IPL 2025 season, chasing down a target of 191 with 5 wickets and 23 balls to spare in Match 7. Powered by a sensational bowling performance from Shardul Thakur and explosive batting from Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh, LSG registered their maiden win of the campaign, turning the tables on a high-flying SRH side that had demolished Rajasthan Royals with 286 runs in their opener.
Match Overview
- Teams: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) vs. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
- Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
- Date: March 27, 2025
- Time: 7:30 PM IST
- Toss: LSG won the toss and elected to bowl first.
- Result: LSG won by 5 wickets (with 23 balls remaining).
- Player of the Match: Shardul Thakur (4/34 in 4 overs)
Sunrisers Hyderabad Innings: 190/9 in 20 Overs
SRH, batting first after losing the toss, aimed to replicate their batting heroics from their previous game. However, LSG’s bowlers, led by Shardul Thakur, had other plans, restricting the hosts to a below-par 190/9 on a pitch known for high-scoring encounters.
Batting Highlights:
- Travis Head (47 off 28 balls)
- The Australian opener provided a brisk start, smashing 6 fours and 2 sixes. He looked set for a big score but was bowled by Prince Yadav in the 7th over, attempting a wild slog.
- Fall of wicket: 76/3 in 7.3 overs.
- Nitish Kumar Reddy (32 off 23 balls)
- The young all-rounder played a stabilizing role, scoring 32 with 3 fours and a six, before falling to Ravi Bishnoi in the 14th over.
- Fall of wicket: 128/5 in 14.1 overs.
- Aniket Verma (36 off 13 balls)
- Verma’s late cameo, including 4 fours and 2 sixes, injected momentum into SRH’s innings, helping them cross 190. He was dismissed by Shardul Thakur in the 16th over.
- Fall of wicket: 156/6 in 15.6 overs.
- Pat Cummins (18 off 4 balls)
- The SRH captain smashed 3 sixes in a quickfire 18, but his blitz ended in the 18th over, caught off Shardul Thakur.
- Fall of wicket: 176/8 in 17.3 overs.
- Early Setbacks:
- Abhishek Sharma (6 off 5 balls) and Ishan Kishan (0 off 1 ball) fell in quick succession to Shardul Thakur in the 3rd over, leaving SRH at 15/2. Kishan, coming off a century in the last game, was trapped LBW for a golden duck.
- Fall of wickets: 15/1 (2.1 overs), 15/2 (2.2 overs).
Bowling Highlights for LSG:
- Shardul Thakur (4/34 in 4 overs)
- The standout performer, Thakur struck twice in the 3rd over, dismissing Abhishek and Kishan, and later removed Verma and Cummins. His best-ever IPL figures earned him the Player of the Match award.
- Prince Yadav (2/38 in 4 overs)
- The young pacer dismissed Travis Head and ran out Heinrich Klaasen (26 off 17) with a deflection off his own bowling, curbing SRH’s momentum.
- Ravi Bishnoi (1/32 in 4 overs)
- The leg-spinner accounted for Nitish Reddy, providing a crucial breakthrough in the middle overs.
- Avesh Khan (1/40 in 4 overs)
- Avesh picked up Mohammed Shami (2 off 4) in the 19th over but was expensive in the death overs.
Innings Summary:
SRH raced to 76/2 in the powerplay, driven by Head’s aggression. However, Thakur’s double strike and Prince Yadav’s breakthroughs pegged them back. The middle order struggled to maintain the tempo, and despite late fireworks from Verma and Cummins, SRH finished at 190/9—considered 20-30 runs short of a par score on this batting-friendly surface.
Lucknow Super Giants Innings: 193/5 in 16.1 Overs
Chasing 191, LSG lost Aiden Markram early but unleashed a batting onslaught led by Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh. The duo’s 116-run partnership for the 2nd wicket turned the game decisively in LSG’s favor, allowing them to cruise to victory with nearly four overs to spare.
Batting Highlights:
- Nicholas Pooran (70 off 26 balls)
- Pooran’s blistering knock, including 6 fours and 5 sixes, featured the fastest fifty of IPL 2025 (off 18 balls). He targeted SRH’s spinners and pacers alike, falling to Pat Cummins in the 9th over.
- Fall of wicket: 120/2 in 8.4 overs.
- Mitchell Marsh (52 off 31 balls)
- The Australian all-rounder anchored the chase with a composed 52 (5 fours, 2 sixes), reaching his fifty in 29 balls before being caught off Cummins.
- Fall of wicket: 138/3 in 10.5 overs.
- Abdul Samad (22 off 8 balls)*
- Facing his former team, Samad sealed the deal with an unbeaten 22, smashing 2 fours and a six to finish the chase in style.
- David Miller (5 off 2 balls)*
- Miller hit the winning boundary off Ishan Kishan in the 17th over, lofting a flighted ball over cover.
- Early Blow:
- Aiden Markram (1 off 4 balls) edged Mohammed Shami to Pat Cummins in the 2nd over, leaving LSG at 4/1.
- Fall of wicket: 4/1 in 1.3 overs.
Bowling Highlights for SRH:
- Pat Cummins (2/29 in 3 overs)
- The SRH skipper provided hope with the dismissals of Pooran and Marsh, but it wasn’t enough to stem the tide.
- Adam Zampa (1/46 in 4 overs)
- The leg-spinner removed Ayush Badoni (6 off 8) with a googly, but his spell was expensive, conceding 13 runs in his final over.
- Harshal Patel (1/38 in 3 overs)
- Patel dismissed Rishabh Pant (15 off 11) with a high full toss, but LSG were already in control.
- Mohammed Shami (1/28 in 3 overs)
- Shami struck early by removing Markram but couldn’t halt Pooran and Marsh’s onslaught.
Innings Summary:
LSG started cautiously, reaching 50/1 in the powerplay. Pooran and Marsh then unleashed a barrage of boundaries, taking the score to 120/1 by the 9th over. Despite losing both set batsmen and a couple of late wickets (Pant and Badoni), Abdul Samad’s cameo ensured a comfortable finish at 193/5 in 16.1 overs.
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Scorecard
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 190/9 (20 overs)
- Travis Head: 47 (28)
- Aniket Verma: 36 (13)
- Nitish Kumar Reddy: 32 (23)
- Heinrich Klaasen: 26 (17)
- Pat Cummins: 18 (4)
- Extras: 7
- Bowling: Shardul Thakur 4/34, Prince Yadav 2/38, Ravi Bishnoi 1/32, Avesh Khan 1/40
Lucknow Super Giants: 193/5 (16.1 overs)
- Nicholas Pooran: 70 (26)
- Mitchell Marsh: 52 (31)
- Abdul Samad: 22* (8)
- Rishabh Pant: 15 (11)
- David Miller: 5* (2)
- Extras: 3
- Bowling: Pat Cummins 2/29, Adam Zampa 1/46, Harshal Patel 1/38, Mohammed Shami 1/28
Key Moments
- Shardul’s Double Strike: Thakur’s back-to-back wickets in the 3rd over (Abhishek and Kishan) derailed SRH’s explosive start.
- Pooran’s Blitz: Pooran’s 26-ball 70, including a 18-ball fifty, turned the chase into a one-sided affair.
- Marsh’s Support: Marsh’s steady 52 complemented Pooran’s aggression, ensuring LSG stayed ahead of the required rate.
- Samad’s Finishing Touch: The former SRH player’s quickfire 22 off 8 balls against his old team sealed the victory with flair.
Post-Match Analysis
SRH’s batting, despite contributions from Head, Verma, and Cummins, couldn’t replicate their earlier fireworks, largely due to LSG’s disciplined bowling. The total of 190 was deemed insufficient on a pitch where SRH had previously scored 286. LSG’s chase was a masterclass in aggressive batting, with Pooran and Marsh dismantling SRH’s attack. The win boosts LSG’s net run rate and confidence after a narrow loss to Delhi Capitals in their opener.
For SRH, the loss highlights their reliance on top-order fireworks, with their middle order faltering under pressure. Their bowlers, barring Cummins, struggled to contain LSG’s onslaught, raising questions about their strategy on home turf.
What’s Next?
- SRH: Face Delhi Capitals in Vishakhapatnam on March 30, aiming to bounce back.
- LSG: Host Punjab Kings on April 1, looking to build on this momentum.
This emphatic victory marks LSG’s first points of IPL 2025, while SRH will need to regroup after being outplayed in their fortress.
