RR vs LSG Highlights, IPL 2025: Avesh Khan shines with exceptional death-bowling as Lucknow down Rajasthan by 2 runs

Shardul Thakur to Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Overpitched and outside off, Vaibhav Suryavanshi drills it to extra covers, where a fumble allows a run.

Shardul Thakur to Vaibhav Suryavanshi, SIX! Oh...HELLO! WHAT WAS THAT? Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 14-year-old, announces himself to the big stage with a bang. Shardul Thakur pulls his length back a bit and around off. Vaibhav backs away to access the off side and absolutely smashes it over the deep extra cover fence for a biggie. One of the hardest shots in cricket, but he made it look easy.

Shardul Thakur to Yashasvi Jaiswal, On a length and on middle, Yashasvi Jaiswal clips it towards mid-wicket for a single.

Shardul Thakur to Yashasvi Jaiswal, FOUR! Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rajasthan Royals get underway in this chase in nice fashion. Full again and on middle, shaping in a bit, Jaiswal takes a couple of steps forward and brings his wrists into play to flick it over mid-wicket for a boundary.

Shardul Thakur to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shardul Thakur starts with a full delivery, on middle, Yashasvi Jaiswal gets a bit forward and drills it down the pitch. Thakur does well to get a hand on it on the follow-through to stop it.

Welcome back for RR's response with the bat. The umpires are out already. Lucknow Super Giants form a last-minute team huddle, before they take the field. And what a moment for someone like Vaibhav Suryavanshi as he strides out as the Impact Sub for Rajasthan Royals, as Sandeep Sharma makes way for him. He will be partnered by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who will face Shardul Thakur with the new ball. Off we go...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Every bowler of RR chipped in with at least one wicket, except for Maheesh Theekshana, showing how well-rounded and effective their bowling unit was today, but will that last over cost them? Let’s see in the second inning. Now the stage is set for a cracking chase. Rajasthan Royals, playing at home, will look to hunt down this target with their youthful batting lineup. Meanwhile, LSG will back their bowlers to defend this competitive total on a pitch that hasn’t been easy to bat on. All eyes are on the action of the second inning, it’s shaping up to be a thrilling contest! 

Aiden Markram of LSG is up for a quick chat. He first hands over the Orange Cap to Nicholas Pooran. Begins by saying he thought 180 would be a good score, and feels fortunate to get there in the end. Mentions that the wicket slowed down a bit and was also on the lower side. Advices that the bowlers shouldn't over-complicate things when they come out to bowl. Tells about bowling in the right areas and picking quick wickets. Ends by saying that if they get a good start with the ball, they will get a good chance to defend this score. Also says that he talks a lot with Klaasen. Says he is a spin basher and he tries a lot to learn from him. Mentions he tried to give it a crack and it worked for him nicely. Tells that Ayush Badoni is growing in confidence and the conversation with him was simple. Says he played a wonderful knock and feels they are in a strong position in the game.

Badoni brought up a brilliant fifty under pressure, playing a smart and composed knock that helped shift momentum. However, just when things were looking stable at 130/3, both set batters departed while trying to accelerate, which gave LSG a slight jolt in the death overs. But then came Abdul Samad, who just dismantled Sandeep in the last over and provided LSG the much-needed finish, which they would be hoping for. From the Rajasthan Royals' perspective, their bowling effort was commendable except for the last over. Each bowler stuck to their plans, kept things tight in the first half, and never allowed LSG to get away. Apart from Markram and Badoni, no other batter looked comfortable in their top six. 

LSG opted to bat first, but the start was far from ideal. Mitchell Marsh, one of their key batters, walked back in the third over, giving Rajasthan an early breakthrough. Nicholas Pooran came in with positive intent and tried to steady things with Markram, but his stay didn’t last long either. He was trapped in front by Sandeep Sharma, and by the end of the Powerplay, LSG had already lost two wickets. Things worsened when skipper Rishabh Pant once again failed to get going, continuing his lean patch with the bat. At 54/3, LSG decided to use their Impact Player and brought in Ayush Badoni in place of Marsh. That move proved to be a masterstroke, as Badoni joined hands with Markram and stitched together a crucial 76-run partnership, the biggest of the inning. 

That has been a solid fightback from Lucknow Super Giants after a rocky start, as they managed to post 180/5 on the board, courtesy of Abdul Samad’s sensational hitting in the last over, which went for 27 runs. Considering the early setbacks, they’ll definitely be on the happier side heading into the break. Till around the 16th over, it looked like a one-man show from Aiden Markram, who stood tall on a challenging pitch and brought up a classy fifty. He eventually fell for 66 off 45 balls, but his innings gave LSG a much-needed platform to post a competitive total, as without him, it could’ve been a very different story.

Sandeep Sharma to Abdul Samad, SIX! FOUR SIXES IN THE LAST OVER! Can't be breezier than this! Sandeep misfires a full toss this time around, outside off, Abdul Samad goes a bit deep into the crease, and heaves it into the orbit. The ball clears deep mid-wicket with ease for another six. A look into the heavens from Riyan Parag, as the last over goes for a mighty 27 runs. Lucknow Super Giants touch the 180-run mark with Samad's impactful cameo.

Sandeep Sharma to Abdul Samad, SIX! This is turning out to be a cracking finish for LSG! Another one into the pitch, on top of off, Abdul Samad shuffles to the off stump, waits for it, loads his shot and pulls it behind deep backward square leg, just over the boundary cushions for a six.

Sandeep Sharma to Abdul Samad, At 122.8 kph, this is on a good length, around off, Abdul Samad tries to swing for the hills, but mistimes it over mid on for a couple of runs only.

Sandeep Sharma to Abdul Samad, SIX! Make that two in a row! That is a cracking strike! Dug short into the pitch, outside off, Abdul Samad has all the time in the world to create a stable base to pull it powerfully behind deep mid-wicket for a huge six.

Sandeep Sharma to Abdul Samad, SIX! A genuine gift and Samad makes the most out of it! An attempted yorker gone wrong. A full toss, on the pads, Abdul Samad picks it up nicely and whips it aerially over deep backward square leg for a six.

Sandeep Sharma to David Miller, A slower bounce, angling across off, David Miller waits and flat-bats it down to long off for a single only.

Sandeep Sharma to bowl the last over. Can he keep Lucknow Super Giants under 160 here?

Jofra Archer to David Miller, Cannons in a yorker, on the pads, David Miller gets a bit of an inside edge to the leg side and runs a quick single. Just 7 runs off Archer's last over. He finishes his spell with 4-0-32-1.

Jofra Archer to Abdul Samad, Back of a length, a slower one, on top of off, Abdul Samad is early to pull across, and gets it pinged on the body, as the ball rolls to the off side, just near the strip. They get a leg bye.

Jofra Archer to David Miller, Excellent pinpoint yorker, on leg, David Miller inside edges it behind to the right of the keeper and steals a quick single.

Jofra Archer to David Miller, WIDE! He will have to reload that one again! Over-the-head bumper, on top of middle and leg, David Miller misses to pull as the ball passes above his helmet. Wide called. Riyan Parag, though, is not too pleased and reviews this Wide call. The split-screen replay comes up first. But the umpire requests Ball Tracking to confirm that no bat is involved. The projection shows that the ball is above the shoulder height, but instantly, the third umpire clarifies that the graphics are wrong. Hence, the Wide call stays.

Jofra Archer to Abdul Samad, Straight and full, pace on at 144 kph, in front of the sticks, Abdul Samad smashes it down to long on, but gets just a single.

Jofra Archer to David Miller, From around the wickets, Archer angles it onto the pads, fuller in length, Miller misses to whip it across and the ball deflects off his front pad and rolls towards the backward point region. They get a leg bye.

Jofra Archer to Abdul Samad, Jofra Archer is back on to bowl the penultimate over. On the hard length, at 128.4 kph, on top of middle, Abdul Samad mistimes it off the higher part of the bat, and pulls to deep mid-wicket. A single only.

Tushar Deshpande to Abdul Samad, Slower bumper, on the bodyline, Abdul Samad pulls it to deep backward square leg for a single. Just 7 runs off it. Excellent by Tushar Deshpande. He ends his spell with figures of 4-0-26-1.

Tushar Deshpande to David Miller, Wide of off, on a fuller length, carved through cover for a single.

Tushar Deshpande to Abdul Samad, A low full toss on the pads, this is flicked through mid-wicket for a single.

Abdul Samad walks out to bat now.

Tushar Deshpande to Ayush Badoni, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! TAKEN! A fifty and out for Badoni! Back of a length, a slower one, and just outside off, skidding through the surface quickly. Ayush Badoni stands tall and tries to loft it over the point region, but ends up mistiming it in the air. The ball sails straight into the hands of Shubham Dubey at deep point. Dubey initially takes a few steps forward, but sooner positions himself well to take it with a reverse cup, moving a bit backward. Ayush Badoni departs on 50 (34). LSG are 143/5.

Tushar Deshpande to Ayush Badoni, FOUR! Something adventurous from Badoni and he gets to his half-century. A pretty muted celebration, but he has played a perfect anchoring knock for his side. Short and slow, on off, Ayush Badoni reverse ramps it over the keeper for a boundary.

Tushar Deshpande to Ayush Badoni, An off cutter, outside off, on a short length, Ayush Badoni mistimes his shot and cuts it to the cover fielder.

Sandeep Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Too short and too slow, on off, Ayush Badoni pulls it over mid-wicket, on the bounce for a single in the deep. 8 runs off this over, 23 from the last three overs.

Sandeep Sharma to David Miller, In-between length, on middle and leg, David Miller steers it to the left of square leg. Badoni calls it for two initially, but the deep fine leg fielder is quick enough to get to the ball. Only a single. 

Sandeep Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Angling on the leg stump, fuller in length, Ayush Badoni drives it to long on for a single.

Sandeep Sharma to Ayush Badoni, FOUR! SLAPPED AWAY! Back of a length, outside off, Ayush Badoni stands tall and smashes it over cover for a cracking boundary.

Sandeep Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Length-delivery, around off, sliced off the back foot to the cover-point fielder.

Sandeep Sharma to David Miller, Pitched fuller, on the stumps, David Miller drills down to long on for a single.

Sandeep Sharma (2-0-20-1) is back on.

Wanindu Hasaranga to David Miller, Fuller and spinning on leg, from middle, David Miller flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single to get off the mark.

David Miller is the next man in.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Aiden Markram, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! CAUGHT! A big, big wicket for Rajasthan Royals this as Wanindu Hasaranga snags his second wicket and brings out his signature celebration. Wanindu provides more revs on the ball and pitches it wide outside the off stump line. It lands, grips and turns away. Aiden Markram leans to smash it over cover, but is early into his shot, and mistimes it straight to Riyan Parag at long off. Parag is not dropping these dollies. Aiden Markram departs for 66 (45). Hasaranga breaks this 76-run stand as LSG are 130/4. But a brilliant knock from Markram whatsoever.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Ayush Badoni, Outside off, on a length, Ayush Badoni reaches for it and cuts it to deep backward point for a single.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Ayush Badoni, SIX! BOOM! Into the slot, on middle and leg, Ayush Badoni slogs it powerfully behind deep mid-wicket for a huge six.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Aiden Markram, Sliding on the pads, on a length, Aiden Markram goes for a big booming slog sweep, but misses and the ball ricochets off his body to the short third region. They get a leg bye.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Ayush Badoni, Dishes it on a length, around off, spinning away a shy bit. Badoni leans on it and drives through the vacant cover region for a single.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, On a dragged length and around leg, Aiden Markram pushes it back to the bowler. A fantastic over from Theekshana against the run of play. 

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, Tossed it up, wide outside off, Aiden Markram doesn't offer any shot and looks at the umpire to call it a wide but the umpire shakes his head.

Maheesh Theekshana to Ayush Badoni, Bowls it full again and around off, Badoni drives it to sweeper cover for one.