- KOLKATA — A night
of sixes, drama, and heart-pounding momentum-shifts ended with Lucknow Super
Giants (LSG) holding their nerve to clinch a nail-biting four-run win over
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in one of the most entertaining matches of Indian
Premier League (IPL) 2025 so far, at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday.
-
- Riding on blazing innings from Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas
Pooran, LSG piled up a mammoth 238/3 — their second-highest total in IPL
history — only for KKR to come within touching distance of pulling off a record
chase before falling short at 234/7.
-
- Sent in to bat on a belter of a surface, LSG openers Marsh
(81) and Aiden Markram (47) gave their side a dream start. Marsh, showing
glimpses of his vintage best, unleashed a flurry of clean, powerful strokes,
while Markram complemented him with smart placement and timing.
-
- Their 99-run opening stand in just 10.2 overs set the tone,
with Marsh powering his way to 81 off 48 balls, peppered with seven fours and
five sixes. Once Markram fell to Harshit Rana, it was Nicholas Pooran who took
centre stage.
Also read: Gill, Siraj, Washington shine in Gujarat Titans easy 7-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad
-
- Pooran, now firmly among the most feared finishers in T20
cricket, was simply unstoppable. He raced to a half-century off just 21 balls,
and finished with an unbeaten 87 off 36, including eight monstrous sixes and
five fours. He toyed with the KKR attack, especially targeting Sunil Narine and
Varun Chakravarthy, as LSG surged past 230 to set a daunting target of 238/3.
-
- In response, KKR came out swinging. Quinton de Kock and
Sunil Narine took 31 off the first two overs, feasting on Akash Deep and
Shardul Thakur. Though Akash returned to trap de Kock LBW with a smart change
of pace, it barely slowed KKR’s momentum.
-
- Ajinkya Rahane, showing his reinvention in T20 cricket
wasn’t a flash in the pan, batted with flair and urgency. Along with Narine, he
took KKR to 90/1 in the Powerplay — their best this season. The Eden Gardens
crowd was buzzing as Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer built a strong stand, taking on
Ravi Bishnoi and Digvesh Rathi in the middle overs.
-
- Rathi, who was fined earlier in the season for his elaborate
celebrations, struck a crucial blow by dismissing his idol Narine for 30 and
celebrated in his trademark style — scribbling something on the ground.
