KL Rahul made a strong comeback at the ground where he was previously criticized, scoring a solid half-century to help Delhi Capitals (DC) beat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 8 wickets in Match 40 of IPL 2025 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium.
Rahul, who captained LSG in 2024 but wasn’t retained this season after a public disagreement with the franchise, scored 57 not out. He partnered with DC captain Axar Patel (34 not out) to finish the chase smoothly after Abhishek Porel (51) laid a strong foundation.
DC chased down the target of 160 with ease, finishing at 161/2 in just 17.5 overs. Aiden Markram was the only successful bowler for LSG, taking both the wickets, but it wasn’t enough to stop Delhi.
The run chase started well for DC with Karun Nair (15) and Porel attacking Shardul Thakur for 16 runs in one over. Nair hit a six off Markram but was bowled on the very next ball. Porel and Rahul handled the spin attack well and kept the scoreboard ticking with smart shots and big hits.
Porel completed his fifty in 33 balls before getting caught by David Miller. Rahul then took control and hit sixes and fours, showing great composure. Axar Patel added quick runs and even got a life when Prince Yadav dropped an easy catch. Rahul sealed the win with a six, helping DC climb to second place on the points table, just behind Gujarat Titans.
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Earlier, LSG started well after being put to bat, with Aiden Markram (52) and Mitchell Marsh (45) giving a good start. But DC’s bowlers fought back. Markram got out trying to hit a big shot, and Pooran (9) got out to a slower ball from Mitchell Starc.
Abdul Samad (2) was caught and bowled, and Marsh was bowled by a perfect yorker from Kumar. David Miller (14) and Ayush Badoni (36) tried to rebuild but struggled to score boundaries. Badoni hit three fours in the final over before getting bowled.
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In the last over, fans got to see Rishabh Pant bat, but only for two balls. He was bowled for a duck on the final delivery, as LSG posted their lowest score of the season – 159/6 in 20 overs.
Brief Scores:
Lucknow Super Giants: 159/6 in 20 overs
(Aiden Markram 52, Mitchell Marsh 45; Mukesh Kumar 4/33)
Delhi Capitals: 161/2 in 17.5 overs
(KL Rahul 57*, Abhishek Porel 51, Axar Patel 34*; Aiden Markram 2/30)
Result: Delhi Capitals won by 8 wickets.
