Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL
On Saturday, April 19, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) defeated Rajasthan Royals (RR) by two runs in match number 36 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. After RR opener Yashasvi Jaiswal played a crucial inning of 74 off 52 deliveries with five fours and four sixes, strict bowling by Avesh Khan in the penultimate over helped LSG restrict RR to 178/5, thus pulling off a win by the barest of margins.
For the unversed, after winning the toss, Rishabh Pant, the captain of Lucknow Super Giants, decided to bat first. His decision did not rest well with his team as the visitors lost Mitchell Marsh early, followed by the quick fall of wicket of Nicholas Pooran, who has looked dangerous this season, leading the charts as top run-scorer. But, Aiden Markram looked good, scoring another 50-plus score, Ayush Badoni also played a 34-ball 50, along with a 10-ball 30* comng from Abdul Samad.
These three knocks helped LSG post a competitive total of 180/5 in their stipulated 20 overs. For the hosts, Wanindu Hasaranga stood out, picking two wickets, whereas Jofra Archer, Sandeep Sharma and Tushar Deshpande picked a wicket apiece.
Avesh Khan helps restrict RR to 178/5; hands RR their fourth straight defeat in IPL 2025
In the run chase, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi gave a quick start, stitching a 85-run stand for the opening wicket. While Jaiswal scored yet another half-century, scoring 52-ball 74, Suryavanshi impresses everyone with his gameplay as he departed having scored 34 off 20 balls. However, Nitish Rana had a poor outing as he was dismissed after scoring eight off seven balls, stand-in skipper Riyan Parag added key 39 runs before being dismissed by Avesh Khan.
Although, the Pink Army did look in the game till the final over, needing only nine off six balls, Avesh Khan got the big wicket of Shimron Hetmyer on teh third ball. With six needed off three deliveries, Shubham Dubey and Dhruv Jurel could help the side cross the line as Avesh Khan single-handedly helped LSG get a win out of RR's mouth.
With this win, LSG replaced RCB in the points table to take the fourth spot, whereas RR continue to reel at the eighth place having lost six games, four of which have come in a row in the ongoing edition.
