Ahmedabad: On Thursday, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pacers William O'Rourke and Akash Singh Maharaj bowled furiously, giving Lucknow a dominating 33-run victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Despite this loss, GT retains the lead in the IPL standings, with nine victories and four defeats in their 13 games, totaling 18 points. On the other hand, LSG is now in sixth place with six wins and seven losses in 13 matches, for a total of 12 points.
In the second innings, GT captain Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, the top two scorers in the current Indian Premier League (IPL), began the innings for the team as they pursued a massive target of 236.
Sai Sudharsan, the IPL 2025 orange cap holder, was removed in the fifth over by William O'Rourke for 21 (16), his innings contained four boundaries. Jos Butler joined GT captain in the middle. GT ended their powerplay on 67/1, with Butler smashing Avesh Khan for 21 runs.
GT maintained getting boundaries on a regular basis before Khan dismissed Gill in the eighth over thanks to a superb catch by Abdul Samad at long off. Gill scored 35 (20), with seven fours, and Sherfane Rutherford joined Butler in the middle.
Jos Butler was batting nicely before being bowled out by Akash Singh for 33 (18), including three fours and two sixes. Shahrukh Khan joined Rutherford in the middle.
Shahrukh and Rutherford reached a 50-run stand for the fourth wicket in just 27 balls, with both hitters blasting Shahbaz Ahmed for 19 runs in the 15th over. GT need 71 runs in 30 balls.
William O'Rourke dismissed Rutherford for 38 off 22 balls in the 17th over, smashing a four and three sixes, while Rahul Tewatia joined Shahrukh in the center. Shahrukh Khan scored his first fifty of IPL 2025 in only 22 deliveries.
In the 17th over, O'Rourke took two wickets, dismissing Tewatia for 2(3). Ahmed concluded his spell by dismissing Arshad Khan for 1 in the 18th over, leaving GT requiring 43 runs in 12 balls.
Rashid Khan partnered Shahrukh in the middle, Avesh bowled Shahrukh for 57(29) with five fours and three sixes, and Rabada joined Rashid in the middle.
GT lost by 33 runs after Ayush Badoni took two wickets in the final over.
In bowling, William O'Rourke (3/27) was Lucknow's leading wicket-taker, followed by Avesh Khan and Ayush Badoni, who each took two wickets.
Earlier in the game, Mitchell Marsh's first Indian Premier League (IPL) century and Nicholas Pooran's quickfire fifty helped Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) reach a colossal total of 235/2 in their 20 overs against Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday, the 18th season of the IPL.
GT skipper Shubman Gill won the toss and decided to bowl first. Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh opened the innings for LSG, getting off to a strong start. The pair had a 50-run partnership in the powerplay as LSG reached 53 for no loss, with Markram being the attacker.
Marsh attacked Purple Cap holder Prasidh Krishna for a six and a four shortly after the powerplay. In the tenth over, he scored his sixth IPL fifty of the season, hitting a six off Sai Kishore in 33 balls.
However, Kishore responded in the same over, dismissing Markram for 36 off 24 balls. His innings consisted of three fours and two sixes. Nicholas Pooran accompanied Marsh to the crease and greeted Kishore with a six off his first delivery.
At the halfway point, LSG was 97/1. Marsh then faced veteran spinner Rashid Khan, hammering 25 runs in an over with two sixes and three boundaries. LSG reached the 150-run milestone in the 15th over, adding 13 runs off Kishore.
At the conclusion of the 15th century, they were 160/1. The MarshPooran team maintained their forceful assault, hammering 20 runs off Mohammed Siraj's final over. Marsh scored his first IPL century in just 56 balls in the 17th over.
In just 42 balls, the partnership scored 100 runs for the second wicket. P. Pooran maintained his good form in IPL 2025, reaching his fifth half-century of the season in 23 balls. Arshad Khan eventually ended the tremendous collaboration by dismissing Marsh for 117 off 64 balls, a superb inning that included ten fours and eight sixes.
LSG captain Rishabh Pant came in for the final two overs and made an immediate impression, hitting Rabada for two sixes as LSG set a massive total of 235/2 in their 20 overs.
Sai Kishore (1/34) was Gujarat's most successful bowler. Arshad Khan took one wicket, while the other GT bowlers failed to take any.
Brief score: LSG 235/2 (Mitchell Marsh 117, Nicholas Pooran 56; Sai Kishore 1/34) defeated GT 202/9 (Shahrukh Khan 57, Sherfane Rutherford 38; William O'Rourke (3/27).
