Delhi Capitals Defeat Lucknow Super Giants in Nerve-Wracking Last-Over Thriller

In a heart-stopping high-voltage match at Visakhapatnam’s ACA-VDCA Stadium, the Delhi Capitals (DC) registered a nail-biting one-wicket victory over the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their first match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. Pursuing a record 210, DC scored 211/9 in 19.3 overs courtesy of a mind-boggling unbeaten 66 off 31 balls by Ashutosh Sharma.

LSG’s Invincible Batting Performance

During batting, LSG recorded a strong 209/8. Nicholas Pooran started the inning with a rampage of 75 runs, and Mitchell Marsh added a terror 72 off 36 balls, hitting a record six sixes. Both the rampage batting of the batsmen provided the platform of a record score, although wickets kept falling in between.

Mitchell Starc was the best of DC’s bowling with 3/42, adequately supported by 2/20 from Kuldeep Yadav. Even their effort to the best of their ability was not able to prevent LSG’s batting strength from making the pursuit an arduous task for DC.

DC’s Sorrow and Ashutosh Sharma’s Brilliance

The chase for DC began on unsteady footing, losing wickets at regular intervals and in serious jeopardy at 65/5 in the seventh over. Under duress, impact batsman Ashutosh Sharma provided an entry in style. Having started off at a slow pace (20 off 20 balls), he revved up with warp speed, hitting an unbeaten 66 off 31. His elegant strokeplay, aptly supported by a handy 39-run cameo by Vipraj Nigam, provided DC’s innings with a fresh lease of life.

The game ended in a nail-biting finish in the last over, when DC needed 12 runs. Sharma showed nerves of steel by hitting a six off the final two balls to give his team an edge-of-the-seat victory.

Post-Match Reactions and Impact Player Rule

Post-match, DC’s Faf du Plessis complimented the team spirit and welcomed the impact player rule that was brought in 2023. The rule allows the team to substitute a player in the XI at any moment, and Sharma’s match-winning innings justified that.

For LSG, even though they lost narrowly, Pooran and Marsh’s outing was encouraging. The team would be looking forward to returning in better shape in their next matches.

With this victory, Delhi Capitals have positioned themselves on the first day of IPL 2025, proving their strength and ability to perform under pressure. There may be even more exciting matches in the coming days with fans as the tournament unfolds.