IPL 2025: Avesh Khan shines with 3-37 as LSG edges RR by two runs

Jaipur, April 19 (NationPress) Fast bowler Avesh Khan delivered a stellar performance, taking 3 wickets for 37 runs, including a nail-biting final over where he defended nine runs, leading Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to a remarkable victory over Rajasthan Royals by just two runs at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Saturday.

At a comfortable 156/2 in the 17th over, RR seemed poised to clinch the match, requiring only 25 runs off 18 balls. However, Avesh unleashed his precise yorkers, dismissing well-set batsmen Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag, before taking down Shimron Hetmyer in the final over, sealing a memorable win for LSG and leaving the RR supporters in disbelief.

For RR, it was yet another disappointing outcome as they failed to secure a straightforward chase for the second consecutive match. The loss in Jaipur was particularly painful, especially after Sandeep Sharma conceded 27 runs in the last over, which included four sixes from Abdul Samad, marking RR's fourth straight defeat.

Chasing a target of 181, after Jaiswal started with a boundary off Shardul Thakur, the young Vaibhav Suryavanshi made an impressive debut, hitting a six on his first ball with an exquisite off-drive over extra-cover. He followed that up with another six off Avesh Khan.

Suryavanshi managed a top edge on a mishit pull, but Prince Yadav dropped the catch, and Ravi Bishnoi deflected the ball over the boundary. After scoring a four and a six off Thakur, Jaiswal propelled RR to their fifty by hitting back-to-back sixes off Aiden Markram and another six off Prince, bringing the score to 61/1 during the power-play.

As Jaiswal and Suryavanshi kept the momentum going with boundaries off Digvesh Rathi and Ravi Bishnoi, Jaiswal reached his second consecutive fifty off just 31 balls. However, LSG broke the 85-run opening partnership when Suryavanshi was deceived in flight by Markram, leading to his wicket as Rishabh Pant swiftly removed the bails. LSG's fortunes turned as Nitish Rana was caught out off Avesh's bowling.

Jaiswal, known for his ability to send balls flying through the backward point region, found a reliable ally in stand-in captain Riyan Parag, who contributed with a six and four off Prince, and another boundary off Digvesh.

Avesh then struck again, uprooting Jaiswal'sParag lbw with another well-placed yorker. As the chase tightened with 19 runs needed off 11 balls, Shimron Hetmyer managed two boundaries off Prince, but was dismissed by Avesh in the final over.

After David Miller dropped a simple catch off Shubham Dubey, RR needed a boundary off the last ball, but Avesh only allowed one run, securing vital points for LSG and propelling them back into the top four of the standings.

Brief scores:

Lucknow Super Giants 180/5 in 20 overs (Aiden Markram 66, Ayush Badoni 50; Wanindu Hasaranga 2-31, Tushar Deshpande 1-26) defeated Rajasthan Royals 178/5 in 20 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 74, Riyan Parag 39; Avesh Khan 3-37, Aiden Markram 1-18) by two runs.