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In a high-octane clash at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) defeated Gujarat Titans (GT) by 6 wickets with 3 balls to spare in Match 26 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. After electing to bowl first, LSG restricted GT to 180/6 before chasing down the target with relative ease, thanks to blistering half-centuries from Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran. Despite a strong opening partnership from GT, LSG’s middle-order firepower proved too good 💝on the day.
Gujarat Titans post strong total despite mid-innings collapse
GT were put in to bat first and got off to a flying start, thanks to their in-form openers Sai Sudharsan and captain Shubman Gill. The duo stitched a formidable 120-run partnership in just 12.1 overs, setting a solid foundation for a big total. Gill was the more fluent of the two, crafting a 38-ball 60 with 6 fours and a six, while Sudharsan played second fiddle with a classy 56 off 37 deliveries. However, once both set batters departed in quick succession – Gill to Avesh Khan and Sudharsan to Ravi Bishnoi – GT’s momentum took a hit.
The middle order couldn’t capitalize as wickets kept tumbling. Jos Buttler struggled to accelerate, scoring a run-a-ball 16 before falling to debutant Digvesh Rathi. Washington Sundar and Rahul Tewatia managed just 2 and 0, respectively, both dismissed cheaply by Bishnoi and Shardul Thakur. Sherfane Rutherford chipped in with a handy 22 off 19 but GT’s scoring rate dipped in the death overs. In the final push, Shahrukh Khan (11 not out) and Rashid Khan (4 not out) added a few late runs, but GT could only reach 180/6 in their 20 overs, a par total at best considering the conditions. LSG’s bowling was evenly distributed, with Bishnoi (2/36), Thakur (🥂2/34), and Avesh 1/32) sharing key wickets.
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Explosive half-centuries from Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran seal the chase
Chasing 181, LSG’s reply was headlined by a scintillating 58 off 31 from Markram and a game-turning 61 off just 34 balls by Pooran. Markram wasted no time, dispatching GT’s pacers to all parts of the ground and racing to his half-century in just 26 balls. His innings featured 9 crisp boundaries and a six. He combined with Rishabh Pantꦬ (21 off 18) to post 65 runs in the powerplay, ensuring LSG got off to a domina♔nt start.
After Pant fell to Prasidh Krishna, Pooran walked in and took charge with a devastating display of power-hitting. He smashed 7 sixes – including a towering 96-metre hit over midwicket – and brought up his fifty in just 23 balls. His aggressive intent put GT’s bowlers under immense pressure, especially leg-spinner Sai Kishore, who was taken apart for 35 runs in just 1.3 overs. Pooran’s dismissal in the 16th over briefly gave GT hope, but Ayush Badoni played the perfect finisher’s role, scoring an unbeaten 28 off 20, including a six and two fours, to guide LSG to victory with three balls to spare. David Miller‘s brief stay (7 off 11) did little to halt the chase, but Badoni and Abdul Samad ensured the finish was smooth.
GT’s bowling unit struggled to contain LSG’s aggressive approach, with Mohammed Siraj leaking 50 runs and Sai proving expensive. Washington Sundar (1/28) and Krishna (2/26) were the pick of the bowlers, but the ꧑lack of control at key moments cost GT the game.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Unreal form with extraordin🌟ary hitting ability from Nicol✱as pooran 👏
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan)
Safe to say that Nicholas Pooran is now the benchmark for batting in T20 cricket. This is ridiculous six-hitti🍌ng
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07)
Pooran, wake us up from the sleep man…
— arfan (@Im__Arfan)
In T20 cricket, there's Nicholas Pooran, there's daylight and then there's the rest.
— . (@ABDszn17)
Six-hitting isn't as easy as Nicholas Pooran is making it look. He’s setting unrealistic expectations and fooling the younger generation!
— Kusha Sharma (@Kushacritic)
Aiden Markram over the last few months showed really good form people just chose to ignore it….
Him being in decent form scoring runs doesn't fit the narrative….
— Lawrence ⚪ 🇿🇦 (@LawrenceBailey0)
Aiden Markram⛄, what a💎 beautiful player you are! 🫶🏻
— Shivani Shukla (@iShivani_Shukla)
Well played Markram . Seems finally we have a markram who scores consistently and contributes to the te♉am . 58 off 31 is a top knock especially against this attack
— Cricket Tamizhan (@CricketTamizhan)
LucknoWWW Super Giants ✅
— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL)
Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram anchor Lucknow Super Giants' nail-biting win over Gujarat Titans
— betvisa69.com (@CricketTimesHQ)
