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Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffered a shocking defeat against Delhi Capitals (DC) in their IPL 2025 opener, despite posting a formidable total of 209/8. The high-scoring encounter at Visakhapatnam saw a late comeback by DC, leaving LSG captain Rishabh Pant visibly frustrated as he pointed out key players who turned the game around.
Match overview: DC’s heroic comeback
LSG got off to a flying start, thanks to a stellar 75-run knock by Nicholas Pooran. Their bowlers also delivered an early breakthrough, reducing DC to a dire 7 for 3 in the powerplay. However, DC’s middle-order displayed immense resilience.
Ashutosh Sharma played a match-winning innings, smashing 66 runs off 31 balls. DC debutant Vipraj Nigam also made a significant impact, scoring a quickfire 39 off just 15 balls. Their crucial partnership brought DC back into the contest.
Rishabh Pant highlights key players in LSG’s defeat
Speaking after the match, Pant acknowledged his team’s strong start but lamented how DC seized control in the latter half. Notably, Tristan Stubbs first set the stage for the comeback with his aggressive innings of 34 runs, which helped stabilize the innings after a disastrous start for DC. Ashutosh and Vipraj then capitalized and helped DC claim a thrilling win. Pant made it clear that these three players—Stubbs, Ashutosh, and Vipraj—were instrumental in LSG’s downfall.
“I think our top-order batters played really well, and 210 was a good score on this wicket. We got early wickets, but we knew it was a batting-friendly track. They had a couple of good partnerships—one with Stubbs (Tristan Stubbs) and Ashutosh (Ashutosh Sharma), and another with Vipraj Nigam. I think he (Vipraj) did a fantastic job and took the game away from us,” said Pant in the post-match presentation.
Also READ: Ashutosh Sharma wins hearts by dedicating his Player of the Match award to “Shikhar Paaji” – IPL 2025, DC vs LSG
Tactical mistakes and bowling struggles
LSG’s bowling unit crumbled under pressure, with some questionable decisions from Pant further compounding their troubles.
- Ravi Bishnoi, who had an expensive spell, was given the 18th over, allowing Ashutosh to capitalize.
- Young pacer Prince Yadav was handed the 19th over but failed to contain runs, conceding 16.
- Shahbaz Ahmed was surprisingly given the final over ahead of Shardul Thakur, who had earlier claimed two crucial wickets.
These miscalculations proved costly as DC chased down the total with three balls to spare, handing LSG a heartbreaking defeat in their season opener.
