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In a dramatic finish that had the capacity crowd at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on the edge of their seats, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) clinched a sensational two-run victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR). Defending 8 runs in the final over, fast bowler Avesh Khan held his nerves to secure a memorable win for LSG.
Avesh Khan pulls off a thriller for Lucknow Super Giants
Chasing a target of 181, Rajasthan Royals appeared to be cruising towards victory for large parts of their innings. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal anchored the chase with a fluent 74 off 52 deliveries, while 14-year-old debutant Vaibhav Suryavanshi impressed with a confident 34 off just 20 balls. Their partnership laid a solid foundation, and with 25 runs required from the last three overs and recognized batters at the crease, the Royals were firm favourites.
However, the momentum dramatically shifted in favour of Lucknow, thanks to the exceptional death bowling of Avesh Khan. Tasked with bowling the crucial 18th over, Avesh delivered brilliantly, conceding only 5 runs and, more importantly, picking up the vital wickets of both Jaiswal and Riyan Parag. This double blow left RR needing 9 runs off the final 6 balls, with the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer and Dhruv Jurel facing the daunting task.
Despite the immense pressure and a brief halt in play due to a late ball change by the umpires, Avesh remained remarkably composed. He executed his plans to perfection, delivering a series of pinpoint yorkers that the RR batsmen struggled to put away. Conceding just 6 runs in the over and even managing to snare another crucial wicket, Avesh single-handedly sealed the victory for LSG, triggering scenes of jubilation in the Lucknow dugout and among their support staff, including owner Sanjiv Goenka. Rajasthan Royals camp, in stark contrast, was left in stunned disbelief.
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Avesh Khan throws light on the challenging final over against Rajasthan Royals
Speaking after the match, a relieved Avesh shed light on the challenging final over. He revealed that a blow to his hand during the match had been painful, stating, “My hand is fine, but when the ball hit, it felt like it was broken. I started seeing stars.” Despite the discomfort, his focus remained clear. Dismissing any notion of trying to emulate other bowlers, Avesh emphasized his individual approach. “I don’t want to become Mitchell Starc; I just want to be a good Avesh Khan,” he said, referencing Mitchell Starc’s recent defence of 9 runs against Rajasthan Royals, which resulted in a Super Over. Avesh highlighted his strategy, stating, “I wanted to bowl my deliveries in the right areas and focus only on yorkers. My plan was not to give away any boundaries in the first three balls.”
This hard-fought victory provided LSG with two vital points, boosting their position in the IPL 2025 standings. For RR, however, the narrow defeat marks their fourth consecutive loss, highlighting their struggle to close out matches despite promising starts.
