Avesh Khan produced a nerveless final over to deliver a dramatic two-run victory for Lucknow Super Giants over Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League clash at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Saturday.
With Rajasthan cruising at 156 for 2 after 17 overs and requiring just 25 runs from the final three overs with eight wickets in hand, the home side appeared to be in complete control. However, Khan swung the contest in Lucknow’s favour by conceding only five runs in the 18th over and removing both Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal with precise yorkers.
Tasked with defending nine runs in the last over, Khan rose to the occasion, dismissing Shimron Hetmyer (12) and conceding just six runs to seal a memorable win. He returned with match-winning figures of 3 for 37 as Rajasthan were restricted to 178 for 5 in their 20 overs while chasing 181.
The loss marked Rajasthan Royals’ fourth consecutive defeat and their sixth in eight matches this season, despite being in a commanding position for the majority of their innings.
Yashasvi Jaiswal continued his impressive form, anchoring the Royals' innings with a stylish 74 off 52 balls, laced with five boundaries and four sixes. Debutant Vaibhav Suryavanshi, aged just 14 years and 23 days, made an immediate impact, becoming the youngest player in IPL history to hit a six on debut.
The left-handed pair gave Rajasthan a flying start, putting on 85 runs in 8.4 overs. Suryavanshi launched his innings by hoisting Shardul Thakur over extra cover for six off the first ball he faced in the IPL, before repeating the feat against Khan in the following over.
Though dropped on 14 by Ravi Bishnoi, the youngster’s entertaining 20-ball 34 came to an end after he was undone by a slower delivery from Aiden Markram, with Rishabh Pant effecting a swift stumping. Suryavanshi took a referral but was unsuccessful, walking back dejected yet having left a strong impression.
Despite Jaiswal’s fluent knock and Rajasthan being well-placed at 94 for 2 at the halfway mark, wickets fell at crucial junctures. Nitish Rana, who had scored a half-century in the previous match, was dismissed for eight in the final delivery of the 10th over.
Khan’s decisive 18th over turned the match on its head. He bowled Jaiswal with a yorker and trapped Parag leg-before with a similar delivery. In the final over, he maintained his composure to deny the Royals.
Earlier, half-centuries from Aiden Markram and Ayush Badoni lifted Lucknow Super Giants to a competitive 180 for 5 after they found themselves struggling at 54 for 3 in the eighth over.
Markram struck 66 off 45 balls, while Badoni added a fluent 50 from 34 deliveries. The duo put together 76 runs for the fourth wicket, steadying the innings after an uncertain start.
Rishabh Pant’s decision to bat first appeared risky when Lucknow lost early wickets. Opener Mitchell Marsh (4) fell to Jofra Archer after edging to Hetmyer, while Nicholas Pooran (11) was trapped leg-before by Sandeep Sharma. Pant himself managed only three, miscuing a delivery from Wanindu Hasaranga that rose more than anticipated.
With Lucknow at 46 for 2 after the powerplay and Pant dismissed shortly after, Markram shouldered responsibility, launching two sixes in the 10th over to inject momentum. He found a dependable partner in Badoni, and their partnership proved crucial.
Down the order, Abdul Samad played a cameo, smashing an unbeaten 30 off 10 balls, including six boundaries in the final over bowled by Sandeep Sharma.
For Rajasthan, Hasaranga was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 31, while Archer, Deshpande, and Sharma chipped in with a wicket each.
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