🏏IPL 2025 - Match 26: LSG vs GT, 12 April 2025 @ 3:30 PM IST🏏 - Page 21

This is the fifth time Rishabh Pant is opening in the IPL, the previous four instances came in his debut season in 2016. His scores as an opener: 69(40), 2(8), 32(26) and 1(2).

Sai Sudharsan: The wicket was a bit difficult today, I felt it was not coming on really really well but me and Shubi (Gill) had a really lovely six overs of powerplay. That gave us the momentum and that gave us a good platform to finish this good. (Expected the wicket to get slower?) First few overs, we actually didn't feel it that way, but after 3- 4 overs, once the shine slowly went off, the wicket started getting a bit different. We had a conversation that the wicket might get a little bit slow but at the same time, we didn't want to reduce our momentum or the strike rate so that it'll be a little easier for us to finish well. (Blueprint for the bowlers) Change of pace and right areas are very difficult for the batters to get runs there. A lot of balls are going low as well. Into the wicket and slower ones are holding a lot more, it's very difficult for the batters.

LSG will be happy with this fightback. GT were 120/0 after 12 overs. So just 60 off the next 8 overs. After a failure in the last game, Gill was back in the runs as he and the prolific Sai Sudharsan added 120 for the opening wicket. Avesh broke that stand and Bishnoi took 2 in one over to halt the momentum of GT. Fine death bowling from Avesh, Thakur and the others did not allow GT to get the big overs. They used the wide outside off plan well against Rutherford and it worked again against the West Indian. Still 180 on this is a good score as the wicket is not straightforward for batting. The cutters are gripping and some are holding on the wicket. Also LSG don't have Mitch Marsh today. Will be an interesting chase

Four of Shardul's 11 wickets this season have come off full-tosses, no other bowler has more than one.

end of over 2

2 runs

LSG: 8/0

CRR: 4.00 • RRR: 9.61

Need 173 from 108b

RR Pant

2 (7)

AK Markram

6 (5)

Arshad Khan

1-0-2-0

Mohammed Siraj

1-0-6-0

Pant as an opener in T20s (before today)

Inns: 21

Runs: 644

Avg: 32.2

SR: 162.21

50/100: 5/1

The last time he opened in T20s was for India against New Zealand in Napier in 2022.

Siraj to Markram, FOUR, nice from Markram. Length delivery angling into the right-hander on leg-stump, he gets forward and flicks wide of mid-on, was in the air for a while too

5WD 2.5: Mohammed Siraj to Rishabh Pant, FIVE WIDES! 14 runs off the over already!

Siraj to Pant, FOUR, very fine

Siraj to Pant, 5 wides, Siraj has not found his rhythm today. This is unnecessary. Dug in way too short and that takes off, no chance for Buttler who does not even leap and try, was well over him. Five bonus runs, Gill is not happy and mutters something under his breath

Siraj ka kharab over,Nehra ji ne Gusse mein kuch Message bhijvaya hai