The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 brought another thrilling encounter on April 19 at the iconic Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, where the Lucknow Super Giants vs Rajasthan Royals Match Scorecard in Match 36. This nail-biting clash ended with LSG clinching a dramatic 2-run victory, thanks to some clutch bowling by Avesh Khan and solid batting contributions from Aiden Markram and Ayush Badoni. For anyone who loves cricket, this match was a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with big hits, tight bowling, and a finish that kept everyone on the edge of their seats. Let’s dive into the details of this exciting game, break down the scorecard, and relive the moments that made it unforgettable.
The Stage is Set
Picture this: a packed stadium in Jaipur, the crowd buzzing with excitement, and two strong teams ready to battle it out under the lights. LSG, led by Rishabh Pant, were coming off a close loss to Chennai Super Kings and were eager to get back to winning ways. RR, playing at home but without their regular captain Sanju Samson due to a rib injury, were under the leadership of Riyan Parag. The Royals were hoping to capitalize on their home advantage, where they’ve historically performed well. The toss went LSG’s way, and they chose to bat first, setting the stage for a high-stakes chase.
Lucknow Super Giants’ Innings: Building a Competitive Total
LSG’s batting lineup had a mix of experience and firepower, with players like Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, and Rishabh Pant in the ranks. Their goal was to post a challenging total on a pitch that was decent for batting but offered some help to the bowlers, especially in the later stages.
Early Setbacks
The innings didn’t start as planned for LSG. Mitchell Marsh, known for his aggressive strokeplay, fell early to a sharp delivery from Jofra Archer. Marsh tried to pull a short ball but got a top edge, and Shimron Hetmyer took a brilliant running catch at deep square leg. Soon after, Nicholas Pooran, who was dropped earlier by Shubham Dubey, couldn’t capitalize on the reprieve. He slashed at a wide delivery from Archer, only to edge it over the slip cordon for a four before getting out shortly after. Rishabh Pant, LSG’s captain, also struggled, managing just a few runs before falling to an lbw decision that survived a review. At 63/3 after 9 overs, LSG were in a spot of bother.
The Markram-Badoni Partnership
Enter Aiden Markram and Ayush Badoni, who turned the game around with a fantastic 76-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Markram was in sublime form, playing elegant cover drives and finding gaps with ease. He reached his fifty with a boundary through extra cover, showcasing his class. Badoni, playing the supporting role initially, grew in confidence, picking singles and hitting occasional boundaries. Their partnership was a perfect blend of aggression and caution, ensuring LSG didn’t lose momentum during the middle overs.
A strategic timeout at 9 overs saw LSG at 63/3, but Markram and Badoni kept the scoreboard ticking. They targeted RR’s spinners, particularly Wanindu Hasaranga, who was expensive despite picking up two wickets. Markram’s ability to rotate the strike and Badoni’s knack for finding boundaries kept the pressure on RR’s bowlers.
The Late Flourish
Just when it seemed LSG would cruise to a big total, RR struck back. Badoni fell for a well-made 50, caught off a quicker delivery from Hasaranga. Markram followed soon after, dismissed for 66 off 45 balls, leaving LSG at 143/5. But Abdul Samad provided the late fireworks, smashing an unbeaten 30 off just 10 balls. His cameo in the final over against Sandeep Sharma, who had a rare off-day, propelled LSG to a competitive 180/5 in 20 overs. Samad’s quickfire knock included powerful shots that cleared the ropes, giving LSG a total they could defend.
RR’s Bowling Effort
For RR, Wanindu Hasaranga was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 2/31 in 4 overs. Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, and Sandeep Sharma each took a wicket, but the latter was expensive in the death overs, conceding runs that pushed LSG’s total higher. RR’s bowlers did well to keep things tight early on, but the Markram-Badoni partnership and Samad’s late blitz proved too much to contain.
Rajasthan Royals’ Innings: A Chase Full of Drama
Chasing 181, RR had a youthful batting lineup led by Yashasvi Jaiswal and debutant Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the youngest-ever IPL player at just 14 years and 23 days old. The stage was set for an exciting chase, with LSG’s bowlers, led by Avesh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi, ready to defend their total.
A Fiery Start
RR got off to a flyer, thanks to Jaiswal and Suryavanshi. Jaiswal, in red-hot form, played some breathtaking shots, including a flicked boundary over mid-wicket off Shardul Thakur. Suryavanshi, making his IPL debut, stunned everyone by hitting a six off his first ball and racing to 34 off 20 balls. His fearless approach set the tone, and RR looked in control. Jaiswal brought up his fifty, his third consecutive one in IPL 2025, as RR reached 100 runs in just 11 overs.
Suryavanshi’s innings ended when Rishabh Pant pulled off a sharp stumping off Aiden Markram’s bowling. Despite the loss, RR were cruising, needing just 25 runs off the last 3 overs with eight wickets in hand. The home crowd was buzzing, sensing a comfortable victory.
The Avesh Khan Turning Point
Just when RR seemed to have the game in the bag, Avesh Khan turned it upside down. In the 18th over, he struck twice, removing Jaiswal (74 off 52) and stand-in captain Riyan Parag (39 off 26) in quick succession. Jaiswal was caught by Avesh himself, while Parag was trapped lbw, a decision that stood after a review. These wickets shifted the momentum firmly in LSG’s favor, as RR suddenly found themselves under pressure.
The 19th over, bowled by Prince Yadav, went for 11 runs, including a couple of boundaries from Shimron Hetmyer. This brought the equation down to 9 runs needed off the final over. Avesh Khan, tasked with defending those runs, stepped up with nerves of steel.
The Thrilling Final Over
The final over was pure drama. Avesh started with a pinpoint yorker, which Dhruv Jurel could only dig out for a single. Hetmyer then slashed a ball to backward point, scampering for two, but a fumble by Shardul Thakur in the deep led to a run-out chance. Pant dislodged the bails, but Hetmyer just made his ground. The next ball saw Hetmyer caught at backward square leg, a massive blow for RR. Shubham Dubey came in and faced a dot ball—a perfect yorker from Avesh. With 6 runs needed off 2 balls, Dubey hit a lofted shot to long-on, but David Miller dropped a simple catch. The batters ran two, leaving 4 runs needed off the final ball.
Avesh, unfazed, delivered another yorker. Dubey could only hit it back to the bowler, who stopped it despite injuring his hand. RR finished at 178/5, falling agonizingly short by 2 runs. Avesh’s 3/37 earned him the Player of the Match award, and his composure in the final over was the difference.
Key Performers
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Aiden Markram (LSG): His 66 off 45 balls anchored the innings, earning him Cricinfo’s MVP with 94.5 points. His calm approach and ability to rebuild after early wickets were crucial.
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Ayush Badoni (LSG): A well-crafted 50 off 34 balls complemented Markram perfectly, ensuring LSG stayed on track for a big total.
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Abdul Samad (LSG): His unbeaten 30 off 10 balls gave LSG the late push they needed.
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Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR): His 74 off 52 balls kept RR in the hunt, but his dismissal swung the game.
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Vaibhav Suryavanshi (RR): The 14-year-old debutant scored 34 off 20, making history as the youngest IPL player.
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Avesh Khan (LSG): His 3/37, including the game-changing final over, sealed the deal for LSG.
Scorecard: Lucknow Super Giants vs Rajasthan Royals Match Scorecard, IPL 2025 Match 36
Below is the full scorecard for the match, detailing every batter and bowler’s contribution.
Lucknow Super Giants Innings (180/5 in 20 overs, RR: 9.00)
Batter |
How Out |
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
Strike Rate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aiden Markram |
c Hasaranga b Deshpande |
66 | 45 | 7 | 1 | 146.67 |
Mitchell Marsh |
c Hetmyer b Archer |
16 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 133.33 |
Nicholas Pooran |
c Jurel b Archer |
4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 80.00 |
Rishabh Pant (c, wk) |
lbw b Hasaranga |
8 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 80.00 |
Ayush Badoni |
c Dubey b Hasaranga |
50 | 34 | 4 | 1 | 147.06 |
David Miller |
not out |
7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 175.00 |
Abdul Samad |
not out |
30 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 300.00 |
Extras |
(B: 0, LB: 1, NB: 0, WD: 1, P: 0) |
2 | ||||
Total |
180/5 (20.0 overs) |
Fall of Wickets:
16/1 (Marsh, 2.2 ov), 46/2 (Pooran, 5.2 ov), 54/3 (Pant, 7.4 ov), 130/4 (Markram, 15.5 ov), 143/5 (Badoni, 17.3 ov)
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jofra Archer |
4 | 0 | 34 | 2 | 8.50 |
Tushar Deshpande |
4 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 6.50 |
Sandeep Sharma |
4 | 0 | 38 | 1 | 9.50 |
Wanindu Hasaranga |
4 | 0 | 31 | 2 | 7.75 |
Maheesh Theekshana |
4 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 10.00 |
Rajasthan Royals Innings (178/5 in 20 overs, RR: 8.90)
Batter |
How Out |
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
Strike Rate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yashasvi Jaiswal |
c Avesh Khan b Avesh Khan |
74 | 52 | 5 | 4 | 142.30 |
Vaibhav Suryavanshi |
st Pant b Markram |
34 | 20 | 2 | 3 | 170.00 |
Shubham Dubey |
c Avesh Khan b Thakur |
8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 114.28 |
Riyan Parag (c) |
lbw b Avesh Khan |
39 | 26 | 3 | 2 | 150.00 |
Dhruv Jurel (wk) |
not out |
6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 120.00 |
Shimron Hetmyer |
c Thakur b Avesh Khan |
12 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 171.42 |
Nitish Rana |
not out |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
Extras |
(B: 0, LB: 1, NB: 0, WD: 1, P: 0) |
2 | ||||
Total |
178/5 (20.0 overs) |
Fall of Wickets:
78/1 (Suryavanshi, 7.2 ov), 90/2 (Dubey, 9.3 ov), 148/3 (Jaiswal, 17.2 ov), 148/4 (Parag, 17.3 ov), 166/5 (Hetmyer, 19.1 ov)
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shardul Thakur |
4 | 0 | 40 | 1 | 10.00 |
Prince Yadav |
4 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 9.00 |
Digvesh Singh Rathi |
4 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 9.50 |
Ravi Bishnoi |
4 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 6.75 |
Avesh Khan |
4 | 0 | 37 | 3 | 9.25 |
Aiden Markram |
2 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 9.00 |
Post-Match Reflections
After the match, LSG captain Rishabh Pant called the win a “character-building” moment, praising his bowlers, especially Avesh Khan, for holding their nerve. Avesh himself admitted he thought he’d injured his hand stopping the final ball, but his focus on bowling yorkers paid off. RR’s stand-in captain Riyan Parag was disappointed, feeling they had the game under control until the 18th over. He took responsibility for the loss but backed his team to bounce back.
This victory moved LSG to fourth on the IPL 2025 points table with 5 wins from 8 matches, while RR, with just 2 wins, faced an uphill battle. The match also highlighted the emergence of young talent like Vaibhav Suryavanshi, whose fearless debut added a feel-good story to an already thrilling game.
Why This Match Mattered
For fans of all ages, this match was a reminder of why the IPL is so special. From a 14-year-old debutant stealing the show to a veteran bowler delivering under pressure, it had everything—drama, skill, and heart. LSG’s ability to defend a competitive total against a strong RR side at home showed their resilience, while RR’s near-chase proved they’re never out of the fight.