Pant and Shami Lead Lucknow Super Giants to Thrilling Victory Over Sunrisers Hyderabad
Pant and Shami Lead Lucknow Super Giants to Thrilling Victory Over Sunrisers Hyderabad
In a high-stakes IPL 2025 encounter at Hyderabad, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) posted 156/9 but fell short as Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) chased down the target with 5 wickets in hand off the penultimate delivery. The match showcased contrasting halves for SRH's innings and a composed chase led by captain Rishabh Pant, secured with stellar bowling from veteran Mohammed Shami.
Shami's Powerplay Mastery Sets the Foundation
The veteran pacer Mohammed Shami dismantled SRH's top order in the Powerplay, finishing with remarkable figures of 2/9 from four overs. He targeted Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma with swinging full deliveries at leg stump before dismissing Head with an off-cutter. "Shami bowled a third straight over in the Powerplay and his figures read 3-0-7-2," highlighting his control that gave LSG a dream start.
LSG maintained their grip in the middle overs, with Digvesh Rathi removing Liam Livingstone, leaving SRH at 35/4 at the halfway mark. However, Heinrich Klaasen (62) and Nitish Reddy (56) staged a counter-attacking partnership, smashing boundaries and sixes against Prince Yadav and Avesh Khan to propel SRH to 114/4 by the 15th over. LSG's bowlers, including Prince Yadav (2/34), struck back in the death overs to restrict SRH to 156/9.
Pant's Anchored Chase Sees LSG Over the Line
After experimenting with opening in their first game, LSG reverted to Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh at the top. Markram's aggressive 45, including boundaries off Nitish Reddy and Jaydev Unadkat, helped LSG race to 53/1 in the Powerplay. The chase cruised to 81 by the halfway stage, but Harsh Dubey (2/18) sparked a comeback by dismissing Ayush Badoni and Nicholas Pooran.
Pressure mounted as Dubey and Harshal Patel bowled tight overs, pushing the required rate. With 9 needed off the last over from Unadkat, Pant, who had promoted himself down the order, took charge. He smashed two boundaries off the first two balls, survived two dots, and cleared the infield for the winning run, remaining unbeaten on 68. "Needing 9 off the last over, Pant hit Jaydev Unadkat for two boundaries off the first two balls," epitomizing his composure under pressure.
Key Match Phases and Statistics
| Phase | SRH | LSG | Run Rate (SRH/LSG) | 4s/6s (SRH - LSG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powerplay | 22/3 | 53/1 | 3.66 / 8.83 | 1/1 - 7/1 |
| Middle Overs | 92/1 | 61/3 | 10.22 / 6.77 | 7/5 - 5/0 |
| Death Overs | 42/5 | 46/1 | 8.4 / 9.2 | 3/2 - 8/0 |
Brief scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad 156/9 in 20 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 62, Nitish Reddy 56; Mohammed Shami 2/9, Prince Yadav 2/34) lost to Lucknow Super Giants 160/5 in 19.5 overs (Rishabh Pant 68*, Aiden Markram 45; Harsh Dubey 2/18) by 5 wickets.
Looking Ahead
SRH, after this loss, will face Punjab Kings away following a five-day break. LSG, buoyed by their first win, head to Kolkata to take on three-time champions KKR on April 9.