IPL 2025, RR vs LSG, Highlights: Avesh Khan defends 9 in the final over to seal a thrilling win for LSG and take them into the top four.
Brief scores:LSG 180/5 (Aiden Markram 66, Wanindu Hasaranga 2/31) beat RR 178/5 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 74, Avesh Khan 3/37) by 2 runs.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) stole a victory from the jaws of defeat when they won a thriller by 2 runs against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Jaipur in IPL 2025 on Saturday. Defending 9 runs off six balls, Avesh Khan gave away just 6 runs and took a wicket to take LSG home. Rajasthan were cruising towards the target of 181 before a flurry of wickets and some good death bowling by LSG saw them lose four games in a row. LSG jumped to the fourth spot in the points table with this win.
Highlights from RR vs LSG match, IPL 2025
Markram-Badoni’s stand bail out LSG
LSG were struggling at 54/3 in 7.4 overs when Ayush Badoni came out to join Aiden Markram in the middle. The two combined to put a 74-run stand for the fourth wicket in 8.1 overs. The two put up a platform for the lower-order batters to finish off the innings on a high. Badoni came in as an Impact Sub replacing Mitchell Marsh.
He made an immediate impact, hitting the fourth ball he faced for a four. Markram too, found his groove and slammed two straight sixes off Wanindu Hasaranga’s bowling. Badoni came up with a few innovative shots as well, playing a scoop over the keeper’s head for a four off Sandeep Sharma’s bowling. The two ensured the scoreboard kept ticking despite a few boundary-less overs. Markram ended up with a 45-ball 66 with five fours and three sixes, while Badoni made a 34-ball 50 with five fours and a six.
Read More: Rishabh Pant has underwhelmed as batter, but impressed as captain with smart bowling changes
A star is born ✨
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) April 19, 2025
Vaibhav Suryavanshi becomes the youngest player in IPL history and hit his first delivery for six 🤯 pic.twitter.com/VivA1bKVXa
Jaiswal-Suryavanshi lit up RR’s powerplay
Rajasthan were fielding a new opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi and the two set the stage on fire in the powerplay. Jaiswal was the first to start the carnage when he smacked the second ball of the innings for four. However, it was Suryavanshi who stole the show from his experienced partner.
Youngest to play IPL at 14 years, Suryavanshi flat-batted the first ball he faced in the tournament for a six off Shardul Thakur. It wasn’t a fluke shot as Suryavanshi hoisted a straight six off Avesh Khan’s bowling as well. He was equally good against spinners, lofting a four off Ravi Bishnoi’s over.
Later, Jaiswal farmed the strike in the powerplay and made it count. He clobbered two straight sixes off Markram’s bowling as Rajasthan reached 50 in 4.2 overs. The two bossed the powerplay as Rajasthan made 61 for no loss ensuring a flying start. It was a quick stumping by Rishabh Pant that saw Suryavanshi’s innings curtailed to a 20-ball 34 with two fours and three sixes. Jaiswal went on to play a knock of 74 that ultimately went in vain.
Read More: IPL 2025, DC vs RR, Highlights: Starc’s precision helps Delhi win a thriller, go top of the table
Samad & Avesh shine for LSG
Facing the last five balls of LSG’s innings, Abdul Samad smashed four sixes off Sandeep Sharma’s bowling to take the team’s total to 180/5. Those sixes switched the momentum towards LSG’s favour and gave them a total to fight for. Eventually, the 27-run last over made the difference in the final result.
Also, it’s important to note Avesh’s death bowling that proved to be the catalyst in LSG’s win. Rajasthan were cruising towards the target, needing 46 runs off the last 30 balls. Avesh bowled three of those five overs, conceding 24 runs and taking three important wickets – the well-settled Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and Shimron Hetmyer. Avesh Khan also bowled five dots out of the last 18 balls he bowled at the death, putting pressure on RR to get those risky fours and sixes. Defending nine runs off the last over, Avesh conceded just six and took the important wicket of Hetmyer to take LSG home.
Way forward
With the recent win, Lucknow have slammed their way into the top four. They’ll next face the Delhi Capitals in a home game on April 22. On the other hand, Rajasthan have now lost four games on the trot which takes them to the eighth position on the points table. They’ll have a tough task cut out for them when they take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru next on April 24 at the Chinnaswamy. Rajat Patidar and Co. would be looking to bounce back after a dismal outing against Punjab Kings.
Read More: IPL 2025, RR vs RCB, Highlights: RR’s middle order botches momentum; Salt takes RCB to third spot
Top Twitter/X Reactions from RR vs LSG, Jaipur, IPL 2025
𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆. 𝐀. 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 🫡
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 19, 2025
Welcome to #TATAIPL, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 🤝
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/02MS6ICvQl#RRvLSG | @rajasthanroyals pic.twitter.com/MizhfSax4q
Cannot ask for a better death over than that from Avesh Khan. Great demonstration of how to bowl yorkers under pressure. Especially liked the fact that he put the disappointment of the change of ball behind him.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 19, 2025
Ayush badoni n Makaram’s partnership was important but how crucial was Abdul Samad’s 30 runs of 10 balls. Brilliant
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 19, 2025
Unexpected win for LSG. Rajasthan looked clear winners virtually till the last ball. Where did they muff it up?!
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 19, 2025
Tell you what I’m excited about the RR LSG game tonight, Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Saw him bat in the nets vs Archer and he looked good with that and played with aggression and composure. Hope he goes well 🤟🏾
— Robbie Uthappa (@robbieuthappa) April 19, 2025
It doesn't matter how old #VaibhavSuryavanshi is. On a big evening he has shown no stage fright.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 19, 2025
The only reason I can think of Vaibhav Suryavanshi sobbing when he got out after such a sensational debut is that he probably now has to go back and finish his school homework!
— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) April 19, 2025
14 years old Vaibhav Suryavanshi showing us what next-gen cricket looks like! Top knock with two incredible sixes under pressure. Loved the temperament 👏
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) April 19, 2025
Read More: ‘Switch on, Switch off’ – Mixed ride so far for LSG & KKR in IPL 2025
