SRH vs LSG Review – Pooran, Marsh hand Lucknow their first win
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) delivered a brilliant performance to topple Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match No.7 of the IPL 2025 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday, securing a five-wicket victory. LSG’s win was duly credited to both their batting and bowling departments.
Being asked to bat first, SRH struggled to build big partnerships as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Their top order failed to fire, including Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan. While Travis Head did play the counter-attacking role, he perished after adding 47 runs to the scorecard.
The middle order attempted to stabilise the innings, but consistent breakthroughs restricted SRH to a below-par total of 190/9. Nitish Kumar Reddy (32), Heinrich Klaasen (26), and Aniket Verma (36) did contribute but the side still fell short of the expected total. Shardul Thakur was the standout performer with the ball, picking four wickets, including those of Abhishek and Ishan in consecutive deliveries.
In reply, LSG got off to a strong start with Mitchell Marsh smashing 52 off 31 balls. However, it was Nicholas Pooran who took the game away from the home team, hammering 70 off just 26 balls, including six fours and six sixes. His batting dismantled SRH’s bowling attack, ensuring LSG remained ahead in the chase.
Despite losing a few wickets in the middle, David Miller (13* off 7) and Abdul Samad (22* off 8) finished the job with ease. SRH bowlers, including Pat Cummins and Mohammed Shami, tried to put up a fight, but leaked runs and couldn’t pick wickets at crucial times.
Top Performers of the Match
Nicholas Pooran (70 off 26)
Nicholas Pooran once again showed why he is currently one of the most destructive T20 batters. The southpaw smashed a quickfire 70 off just 26 balls, lacing his knock with six fours and six huge sixes, playing at a strike rate of 269.23. In the process, he also hit his fifty in just 18 balls, making it the second-fastest fifty in LSG history, only behind his 15-ball half-century against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2023.
Shardul Thakur (4/34)
LSG bowling all-rounder, Shardul Thakur, delivered a match-winning performance by registering his career-best IPL figures. The 33-year-old became the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, with six wickets to his name. After going unsold in the mega auction, he was brought in at a base price of INR 2 crore as an injury replacement for Mohsin Khan. Against SRH, he dismissed Abhishek and Kishan in consecutive deliveries. He later removed Abhinav Manohar and Mohammed Shami.
What’s next for both teams?
The Rishabh Pant-led Lucknow will next lock horns against Punjab Kings at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday, April 1. On the other hand, Sunrisers Hyderabad will play their next game at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam against Delhi Capitals on Sunday, March 30.
