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Kolkata, April 8, 2025 — The Indian Premier League 2025 witnessed another classic at Eden Gardens as Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) held their nerve to defeat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 4 runs in Match 21. In a game dominated by the bat, Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran launched a brutal assault, powering LSG to 238/3, before KKR nearly chased it down, ending on 234/7.
Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran Set Eden Alight
Sent in to bat, LSG got off to a steady start before Marsh (81 off 48) and Pooran (87* off 36) unleashed chaos. Their 121-run stand took LSG from 99/1 to 221/3 in just 41 balls.
- Marsh’s innings featured 6 fours and 6 sixes, anchoring the middle overs.
- Pooran was explosive, smashing 8 sixes and 4 boundaries at a strike rate of 241.66.
- LSG posted 238/3 in 20 overs, their highest total this season.
Fall of wickets:
- Aiden Markram 47 (Harshit Rana)
- Marsh 81 (Russell)
- Abdul Samad 6 (Harshit Rana)
KKR’s Chase Falls Agonizingly Short
KKR came out with intent, with Sunil Narine (30 off 13) and Ajinkya Rahane (61 off 35) providing early momentum. The chase picked up pace further with Venkatesh Iyer (45 off 29) keeping them in the hunt.
However, regular wickets at the death hurt their pursuit:
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Russell, and Venkatesh fell in quick succession.
- Despite Rinku Singh’s unbeaten 38 off 15, KKR fell just 4 runs short, finishing on 234/7.
Fall of wickets:
- Quinton de Kock 15 (Akash Deep)
- Narine 30 (Rathi)
- Rahane 61 (Thakur)
- Ramandeep 1 (Bishnoi)
- Raghuvanshi 5 (Avesh)
- Venkatesh 45 (Akash Deep)
- Russell 5 (Thakur)
Spencer Johnson’s Costly Spell
Much was expected from Spencer Johnson, who replaced Moeen Ali in the XI. But the Aussie pacer struggled, conceding 46 runs in 3 overs without a wicket—proving costly in hindsight.
Bowling Standouts
For LSG:
- Akash Deep: 2/45 (4)
- Ravi Bishnoi: 1/31 (3)
- Thakur: 2/41 (4)
For KKR:
- Harshit Rana: 2/31 (4)
- Russell: 1/32 (2)
Key Stats from KKR vs LSG
- Total Runs Scored: 472 (Combined)
- Sixes Hit: 32 (16 by each team)
- Player of the Match: Nicholas Pooran (87* off 36)
- Highest Partnership: Marsh & Pooran – 121 runs off 41 balls
- LSG Highest IPL Score: 238/3
Match Flow Highlights
Powerplay (KKR): 90/1
Powerplay (LSG): 59/0
LSG Impact Player In: Angkrish in for Chakravarthy
KKR Impact Player In: Ravi Bishnoi in for Marsh
Notable Milestone: Marsh joins elite list with 4 fifties in 5 matches
What’s Next for KKR and LSG?
- KKR now have 2 wins and 2 losses in 4 matches and will need to fix their death bowling and middle-order stability.
- LSG, with their 3rd win of the season, move closer to the top four, boosted by Pooran’s dream form and a steady bowling unit.
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