IPL 2025: LSG Claims First Home Victory Over MI by 12 Runs
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Synopsis
On April 4, 2025, Lucknow Super Giants secured their first home win in IPL 2025, defeating Mumbai Indians by 12 runs at BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium. Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh each scored half-centuries, while Digvesh Rathi, Shardul Thakur, and Avesh Khan contributed with vital wickets. Hardik Pandya stood out for MI with remarkable bowling figures.
Key Takeaways
- Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh both scored crucial half-centuries for LSG.
- Hardik Pandya achieved his first five-wicket haul in T20 cricket.
- Lucknow Super Giants successfully defended their total of over 200 runs.
- MI's Suryakumar Yadav played a key role but could not finish the chase.
- LSG secured their sixth win over Mumbai Indians in IPL history.
Lucknow, April 4 (NationPress) Half-centuries from Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh, along with Digvesh Rathi, Shardul Thakur, and Avesh Khan maintaining composure while each taking a wicket, propelled Lucknow Super Giants to their inaugural home victory in IPL 2025, overcoming Mumbai Indians by 12 runs at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium on Friday.
On a pitch with black soil, Marsh seized the opportunity against pace deliveries to score 60 off 31 balls, marking his third fifty of the tournament. Following his dismissal, Markram stepped in to score 53 off 38 balls, while Miller contributed with a quick 27 runs off 14 balls, ensuring LSG exceeded the 200-run mark for the second time.
For MI, who conceded 69 runs during the power-play, Hardik Pandya excelled with the ball, achieving figures of 5-36, marking his first five-wicket haul in T20 cricket. The MI captain expertly utilized the conditions, relying on slower deliveries to secure his wickets, becoming the first IPL captain to achieve a five-for.
In response, Suryakumar Yadav and Naman Dhir scored 67 and 46 runs respectively, keeping MI in contention during a challenging chase. However, with Suryakumar's departure in the 17th over and Tilak Varma struggling with the bat, LSG's bowlers managed to maintain control, especially by adhering to a wide-ball strategy in the death overs, and secured their sixth victory against a tough MI side in the IPL.
After being put to bat first, Marsh started energetically, hitting Trent Boult for a boundary and benefiting from a missed appeal after edging the ball. He then struck Deepak Chahar for three boundaries, followed by lofting Boult over mid-off for six and edging him for another four.
Marsh's impressive innings continued as he thrashed Mitchell Santner for two boundaries and lofted Ashwani Kumar for six and then four, reaching his fifty in just 27 balls. His assault persisted, adding two more boundaries off Ashwani as LSG concluded the power-play at 69/0.
However, against the flow of the game, MI ended the 77-run opening partnership when Marsh attempted to drive off Vignesh Puthur but ended up catching a simple return catch, departing for 60. Pandya struck again in his first over, dismissing Nicholas Pooran, who top-edged a slower bouncer to short fine leg for 12.
He returned to outsmart Rishabh Pant, who was caught at mid-off after an early flick, sending the LSG skipper packing for just two. Amidst this, Markram anchored the innings with sixes over long-on and boundaries on the off-side, while Ayush Badoni accelerated by lofting, sweeping, and cutting Santner for three consecutive fours.
After striking a four off Ashwani with a scoop, Badoni attempted the same shot again but couldn't adapt to the slow delivery and was caught behind for a brisk 30 off 19 balls.
Markram kept the innings intact, reaching his fifty in 34 balls before falling victim to another off-cutter from Pandya and getting caught at long-off for 53. Although Abdul Samad was dismissed by Boult, Miller smashed two fours and a six in a late onslaught to push LSG past 200, before he and Akash Deep were sent back by Pandya, now the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with eight wickets.
LSG began their bowling defense strongly, with Akash Deep claiming his first wicket on just his fourth delivery, having Will Jacks caught at deep backward square leg for five. Thakur soon followed, taking out Ryan Rickleton in the same manner for 10.
Dhir ignited the innings with a fierce counter-attack against Akash, pulling for a boundary alongside two sixes in a 21-run fourth over, as MI concluded the power-play at 64/2. The pair managed to hit a boundary each off both Akash and Ravi Bishnoi, until Rathi bowled out Dhir for 46 just after the first timeout.
Suryakumar continued to impress, sweeping Bishnoi for a boundary before driving Avesh for back-to-back fours, and later flicking Thakur for another four to keep MI afloat. Despite Varma's struggles, Suryakumar reached his fifty in 31 balls with a delightful late cut off Bishnoi past third man.
MI suffered a significant setback when Suryakumar attempted a scoop but lost his balance, getting caught by backward square leg off Avesh for 67. Tilak and Hardik Pandya each managed a four off Avesh, with Pandya sweeping Rathi for another boundary, reducing the target to 29 runs needed off 12 balls.
As Thakur restricted runs, conceding only five singles in the penultimate over with precise half-volleys and low full tosses, an out-of-sorts Varma was retired out, and Mitchell Santner came in, with the equation now at 22 runs required from the last over.
Due to a slow over-rate penalty, LSG could only have four fielders outside the 30-yard circle, allowing Pandya to loft Avesh for a six over deep extra cover. Nonetheless, he failed to secure another boundary during the final over, leading LSG to victory.
Brief Scores: Lucknow Super Giants 203/8 in 20 overs (Mitchell Marsh 60, Aiden Markram 53; Hardik Pandya 5-36) defeated Mumbai Indians 191/5 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 67, Naman Dhir 46; Digvesh Rathi 1-21, Shardul Thakur 1-40) by 12 runs.
