The dreams of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) came crashing down on a warm evening at the Ekana stadium as they were knocked out of the IPL 2025 playoffs race. In what was a must-win game, LSG fought hard but ended up on the losing side against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who chased down a big target with ease and sent Lucknow packing.
LSG, batting first, posted a strong total of 205 for 7, powered by standout knocks from Mitchell Marsh (65 off 39) and Aiden Markram (61 off 38). Their vital partnership gave Lucknow the push they needed. The stadium was buzzing, fans believed this might be the night their team bounced back. But the joy didn’t last longer.
Sunrisers came out to chase with purpose. Abhishek Sharma was in full flow, smashing 59 off just 20 balls, and Heinrich Klaasen kept the momentum going with a calm yet powerful 47. The chase was completed with 10 balls to spare, and the silence in the Ekana Stadium told the story. Hope had turned into heartbreak.
This loss officially ended LSG’s playoff hopes. After back-to-back playoff appearances in 2022 and 2023, this season has been a mixed bag. Injuries played a big part, key bowlers like Mohsin Khan and Mayank Yadav missed crucial games, and their absence was felt in the death overs, where Lucknow often struggled to contain runs.
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Captain Rishabh Pant, who led the side after KL Rahul’s departure, looked emotional after the match. “Definitely it could have been one of our best seasons but coming into the tournament we had a lot of gaps, injuries and as a team we decided to not talk about that, but it became difficult to fill those gaps for us,” Pant stated.
Rishabh Pant struggled with the bat this season, managing just 135 runs in 12 matches , far below his typical standards. While a few players showed promise in patches, the team lacked steady contributions. Nicholas Pooran had a few solid knocks, and Digvesh Rathi bowled with heart, but it wasn’t enough to take the team forward.
This loss confirmed LSG as the fifth team to bow out of the tournament. Their remaining matches against Gujarat Titans and Royal challengers Bengaluru will now be about pride and giving young players a chance.
For the fans, it was a season filled with hope that, sadly, ended in disappointment. Still, the support never faded. In every home game, Lucknow’s loyal fans stood by their team, singing, cheering and hoping.
As the sun sets on LSG’s IPL 2025 journey, one can only hope that this setback becomes a lesson, and that the Super Giants come back stronger, hungrier, and better prepared next season.
Written by Kinjal Walantra
