In a gripping IPL 2025 showdown at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, KL Rahul delivered a standout performance against his former franchise, guiding Delhi Capitals to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). With this win, Delhi Capitals climbed to 12 points, tying with table-toppers Gujarat Titans but sitting in second place due to net run rate.
Chasing a modest target of 160, Delhi got off to a solid start and were 54/1 at the end of the powerplay. Karun Nair, making his return to the IPL, couldn’t make a lasting impact and was dismissed for a quick 15 off 9 balls by Aiden Markram.
It was then Rahul and young sensation Abishek Porel who steadied the ship, stitching together a crucial 69-run stand off 49 deliveries. Porel, continuing his consistent run this season, struck a fluent 51 from 36 balls before falling to Markram. Rahul, unfazed and composed, anchored the innings with an unbeaten 57 off 42 balls, striking three boundaries and as many sixes. He found a dependable partner in Axar Patel, who chipped in with a valuable cameo. Together, they added 56 runs to seal the win with 13 balls to spare.
Earlier, Axar Patel’s decision to bowl first raised eyebrows as LSG got off to a flying start. Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh powered their way to an 87-run opening stand by the 10th over, laying a strong foundation. However, what followed was a stunning collapse.
Delhi’s pace attack, led by Mitchell Starc and Mukesh Kumar, turned the game on its head. Starc drew first blood by dismissing the dangerous Nicholas Pooran for just 9 runs. Mukesh then wreaked havoc in the 17th over, removing both Abdul Samad (2 off 8) and Marsh (45 off 36), completely derailing LSG’s momentum.
Despite a brief fightback from David Miller and Ayush Badoni, who put together 49 runs for the fifth wicket, LSG couldn’t capitalize. Mukesh returned to remove Badoni (36 off 21) and claimed a final scalp on the last ball of the innings by dismissing Rishabh Pant, who had been sent in as an Impact Player.
In the end, Lucknow finished with 159/6—an underwhelming total given their start. Delhi’s clinical chase, powered by KL Rahul’s composed knock, ensured a smooth finish as the Capitals strengthened their push for a playoff berth.
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