IPL 2025: Marsh,Pooran shines LSG defeat KKR by 4 runs; PBKS Vs CSK match underway
Back to back wins for the Lucknow Super Giants and they are starting to get on a roll. Their top three looks the best in the competition and the bowling is coming together nicely. It has been an inconsistent start for Kolkata Knight Riders as they have lost alternate games. They would like to correct that and get on a roll themselves. That’s all from this encounter. The second game of the day has already started. You can switch tabs and catch all the action. Goodbye and stay safe..
KKR will be wondering what happened in those last 7 overs. They were cruising in the chase and all of a sudden lost their way. Narine got them off to a flier and even though de Kock went cheaply, Rahane came in and kept finding the boundaries. KKR raced to 90/1 in the powerplay and had set up the chase beautifully. Rahane continued adding partnerships and stitched a second 50+ stand with Venkatesh Iyer.
When the pair were batting it seemed that the home side will canter home comfortably but Pant did what he did during the T20 World Cup final – slowed things down and allowed his bowlers a breather. Shardul then broke the partnership and KKR lost 5/23 in quick time. Rinku tried his best towards the end but he was left with a lot to do. Credit to Pant, not only for how he slowed the pace of the game but also the way he rotated his bowlers – kept an over each from the two spinners in the last 3 overs and backed his pacers to pick the wickets. Hang around for the presentations..
Aiden Markram: It was a good one (pitch). We’ve got some freaks in our team – Mitch and Nicky hit to all parts, it’s great to watch them do their thing and get some big runs on the board. It was a little bit slow to start off and then got better as the game went on. In the powerplay, I was looking to take the game on, sometimes it works. I played with a positive intent and it paid off. (On his partnership with Marsh) In the middle and off the park as well, he’s a great man, enjoying the company. We’ve got a really good crew, this team, really good people. Off the park, it’s been really good. Exciting to get some momentum on the field. Two really big wins against two really quality teams, so chuffed.
Ajinkya Rahane | KKR captain: A really tight one (game). As I said at the toss, the wicket remained good throughout the 40 overs. We gave our best, it was a great game, in the end we were just 4 runs short. When you are chasing 230-plus, you will lose wickets in the chase. This was one of the best wickets to bat on. Batters had to take a little time to get in. The bowling attack we have, we control our middle-overs really well. Sunil (Narine) was struggling with the ball. Sunil and Varun usually dominate the middle overs, but it was tough for the bowlers today.
Nicholas Pooran | Player of the Match: I have been asked this question a million times (how does he hit sixes so frequently), I practise a lot and after a time everything comes naturally. You understand what is needed in a game, you know what the bowlers are going to bowl and you work according to that. They (Marsh and Markram) have been brilliant for us right through the tournament. Both of them have been batting so well in partnerships, they have been gritty against the new ball and doing what the team exactly needs from them. What is my role? Get a start, try to capitalise and win the matchups.
CSK Vs Punjab Kings
In the second match, the Punjab Kings will face the Chennai Super Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Chandigarh. After winning the toss, the Punjab Kings elected to bat first and scored 75 runs for the loss of 3 wickets after the first six overs….
