IPL 2025: DC beat LSG with their highest successful run-chase
What's the story
Delhi Capitals began their IPL 2025 campaign with a thrilling win over Lucknow Super Giants in Vizag.
The Capitals successfully chased down 210, with Ashutosh Sharma taking them to an incredible win. His exploits powered DC, who were 65/5 at one stage.
Ashutosh defied the blistering knocks from LSG's Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh. Mitchell Starc and Kuldeep Yadav earlier starred in DC's comeback.
LSG innings
DC bounce back after LSG's flying start
LSG had an ideal start after they were invited to bat. Although Aiden Markram departed after a start, DC were marched forward by Pooran and Marsh.
The duo added an 87-run stand in quick time, striking 13 sixes between them.
However, Mitchell Starc and Kuldeep Yadav starred in DC's comeback. LSG suffered a lower-order collapse, with David Miller's 27*(19) guiding them to 209/8.
DC innings
Ashutosh takes DC to scintillating win
Shardul Thakur added substance to LSG's defense by dismissing Jake Fraser-McGurk. He removed Abishek Porel too, leaving DC at 2/2.
Faf du Plessis and Axar Patel steadied the ship, but the former's dismissal left DC reeling at 65/5. Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, and Vipraj Nigam propelled DC past 160.
Ashutosh fought till the end with an incredible fifty, finishing the chase with a six.
Marsh
Marsh slams a blazing fifty
Marsh came out with a positive intent after DC elected to field. He attacked his teammate Mitchell Starc at the start.
Marsh exhibited his onslaught despite losing his opening partner Markram. He joined Pooran as the duo tore apart DC's bowling attack.
Marsh slammed a 21-ball half-century before falling to Mukesh Kumar. He hammered 72 off 36 balls (6 fours and 6 sixes).
Fifty
Marsh hammers his fourth IPL fifty
Marsh slammed his maiden half-century for LSG in the IPL. Overall, this was his fourth fifty.
The Aussie all-rounder, who bats in the top order, still eyes his maiden IPL century. Marsh has also raced past 700 runs in the tournament.
In an injury-plagued career, he has scored 729 runs from 43 matches at a strike-rate of 132.06.
Pooran
Pooran entertains Vizag crowd
Pooran smacked as many as 7 sixes in his blistering knock against DC.
The Caribbean dasher clubbed quite a few big hits in his 87-run partnership with Marsh. Mitchell Starc knocked him over in the 15th over.
The LSG batter hammered a 30-ball 75 (6 fours and 7 sixes). He struck 4 sixes and a four in an over bowled by Stubbs.
Record
Pooran becomes third-highest run-scorer for LSG
Pooran has become the highest run-scorer for LSG in the IPL. He overtook Quinton de Kock, who owns 901 runs.
With 932 runs at 44.38, Pooran is only behind KL Rahul (1,410) and Marcus Stoinis (952).
Pooran remains the only batter to have struck 60-plus sixes for LSG in the IPL. He has hammered 69 of those.
Sixes
Pooran completes 600 T20 sixes
Pooran has also become the fourth player with 600-plus sixes in T20 cricket. Notably, all four players are West Indian.
Pooran has joined Chris Gayle (1,056), Kieron Pollard (908), and Andre Russell (733) on this elite list.
Pooran, who made his T20 debut in 2013, has completed 600 sixes in his 385th encounter. He has over 8,640 T20 runs.
Bowling
Starc, Kuldeep help DC bounce back
Starc's opening spell was expensive. His second over produced 2 fours and as many sixes.
The Aussie seamer bounced back by dismissing Pooran. He later dismissed Shahbaz Ahmed and Ravi Bishnoi, conceding 42 runs from four overs.
Meanwhile, Kuldeep was DC's most economical bowler. He dismissed Rishabh Pant and Ayush Badoni, having conceded just 20 runs from four overs.
Battles
A look at player battles
As per Cricbuzz, Starc has dismissed Pooran for the fourth time in six T20s.
Notably, the Caribbean dasher has fallen to Starc twice in just four balls in the IPL. He has managed just 12 runs off 13 balls against Starc in T20s.
According to ESPNcricinfo, this was the third instance of Kuldeep dismissing Pant in three IPL innings.
Ashutosh
A knock for the ages!
Ashutosh came in as DC's Impact Player. He walked in when DC were reeling at 65/5.
Although the right-hander started slowly, he shifted gears and scored a breathtaking half-century (66* off 31 balls).
His innings, which included 5 fours and as many sixes, saw crucial partnerships with Stubbs and Nigam.
Ashutosh mattered when DC required 42 off 23 balls with just three wickets.
Fifty
Second IPL fifty for Ashutosh
Ashutosh, who had an impressive stint with Punjab Kings in IPL 2024, was acquired by Delhi Capitals for ₹3.80 crore.
The all-rounder turned out to be PBKS's savior last season as he played some vital cameos down the order. He scored only 189 runs in 11 games but had an impressive strike-rate of 167.25.
The knock against LSG marked Ashutosh's second IPL half-century.
Target
Record run-chase for DC
As per Cricbuzz, 210 is the highest target successfully chased by Delhi Capitals in the IPL. This is also the first 200-plus target chased down against the Super Giants in the cash-rich league.
Meanwhile, DC claimed their maiden one-wicket win in the IPL. Overall, this was the fifth such win in the IPL and the second since the 2018 edition.
Performers
Other notable performers from the match
Vipraj Nigam, who made his IPL debut, played an underrated knock in DC's run-chase. He slammed a rapid 39 off 15 balls (5 fours and 2 sixes).
Nigam had earlier dismissed Markram with his leg-break.
A rather inexperienced LSG bowling attack fared well, albeit in a losing cause. Thakur, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, and Ravi Bishnoi took two wickets apiece.