‘Toss is playing a huge part' says Pant after LSG post lowest total of IPL 2025, suffer 8-wicket loss vs DC

Rishabh Pant admitted Lucknow Super Giants had finished “20 runs short” in their Indian Premier League match against Delhi Capitals in Lucknow on Tuesday, which they ended up losing by 8 wickets. LSG could manage just 159/6 on the board after Pant’s former franchise DC, now led by Axar Patel, opted to field at the Ekana Cricket Stadium. Pacer Mukesh Kumar led the way with a haul of 4/33 as the Super Giants failed to capitalise on the 87-run opening partnership between Aiden Markram (52) and Mitchell Marsh (45).

Pant, who had represented the Capitals for nine seasons before joining the Super Giants for a record Rs 27 crore, added that toss also played a part in the his team suffering their fourth defeat of the season.

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“We knew we were 20 runs short. In Lucknow, toss played a big part. Whoever is bowling first, they get a lot of help from the wicket. We just had to stay back, we just couldn’t get it away. It always happens in Lucknow, in the second innings, the wicket gets better and batter to bat on, that’s how the game goes and you can’t be complaining. Yes, toss is playing a huge part here, but as a team, we are not looking for excuses,” Pant, who had been dismissed for a two-ball duck by Mukesh, said after the defeat.

KL Rahul (57 not out) and Abhishek Porel (51) struck half-centuries durng DC’s chase, the former making his first appearance at Lucknow’s Ekana Cricket Stadium since parting ways with LSG as the visiting team chased the target down with 8 wickets and more than two overs to spare.

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Rahul not only brought up his third half-century of the season and his 40th overall in the league, he also became the fastest batter to 5,000 runs in the IPL, breaking the record that was previously held by David Warner.

Axar heaps praise on DC bowlers after victory

Axar, meanwhile, heaped praise on his bowlers for restricting LSG to their lowest total of the season which allowed DC to cross the finish line with plenty of deliveries in hand despite experiencing a slowdown themselves.

“The way we started with the ball, we didn’t take wickets but we were in control of the game. Once we picked up 2 quick wickets, we got the momentum and all the bowlers did well to restrict them under 160,” Axar said.

That one had fire written all over it 🔥

🎥 Mukesh Kumar ends Mitchell Marsh's charge with an unplayable yorker 🎯

Updates ▶️ https://t.co/nqIO9maALU#TATAIPL | #LSGvDC | @DelhiCapitals pic.twitter.com/LT5ufqjZYC

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 22, 2025

The spin-bowling all-rounder, who smashed an unbeaten 34 off 20 balls and took the Capitals home with an unbroken 56-run stand with Rahul, added that he doesn’t really bother about his batting position and tries to play according to his strengths.

“I always play according to my strengths whenever I walk out to bat, doesn’t matter which position I am batting, and I have been getting success whenever I tried to line-up a bowler, so feeling good,” he added.

DC completed a season double against LSG, with Ashutosh Sharma and Vipraj Nigam having starred in the team’s thrilling one-wicket victory in Visakhapatnam in the opening week of the season.