Delhi Capitals were putting on a strong performance after a good start, reaching 80/1 in the first 10 overs. Rishabh Pant continued to challenge the spin bowling of Ravi Bishnoi, but the boundaries dried up as the team failed to score any in the last 20 balls. However, Abhishek Porel broke the drought with a six, clearing the bowler's head for a maximum. KL Rahul followed suit, hitting another six to cap off the over with 16 runs accumulated.
The six-hitting spree continued in Markaram’s over, where they managed their third six in just seven balls. Abhishek Porel celebrated reaching his first fifty of the season, a moment of huge relief for him. Throughout this season, Porel has been a reliable top-order batter for DC, and finally, he recorded a well-deserved half-century.
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Unfortunately, Porel's aggressive innings came to an end when he was dismissed by Aiden Markaram, with David Miller completing the catch on the leg side. He left the field after scoring a solid 51 runs off 36 balls. At this point, DC stood at 105/2 at the end of 12 overs, needing another 55 runs in the last 8 overs.
Axar Patel, KL Rahul Stitch Match-Winning Stand
DC captain Axar Patel joined KL Rahul in the middle, while Rishabh Pant opted to utilize his pacers to take advantage of the old ball and reverse swing. Avesh Khan delivered some good overs for LSG, but they suffered from Ravi Bishnoi’s bowling in the 14th over, where Bishnoi conceded two sixes to Axar Patel, who found it easier to clear the spinners than the pace bowlers.
Avesh returned to bowl another solid over, successfully keeping Axar Patel quiet this time. However, Shardul Thakur struggled in his over, conceding a six and a four, allowing DC to score 14 runs, which left them needing only 19 runs off the last 24 balls.
KL Rahul's Milestone
Meanwhile, KL Rahul completed his third fifty of the season, reaching the milestone in just 40 balls. This knock was particularly special at the Ekana Stadium, as the crowd erupted in appreciation. With his next single, Rahul also crossed the 5000-run mark in the IPL, becoming the fastest player to do so in just 130 innings, ahead of Virat Kohli, who took 157 innings.
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DC closed in on victory, with KL Rahul finishing off in style, leading them to defeat LSG by 8 wickets at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. It was a one-sided affair, as DC dominated the game after the 11th over of LSG's innings, restricting them to a subpar total. The classy batting from Porel and KL Rahul, along with an explosive finish from Axar Patel, secured their sixth win of the season, moving them to second place in the IPL 2025 points table behind GT.
For LSG, this loss at home highlights several areas that need addressing for their next game, especially with Rishabh Pant, who was absent when LSG needed him the most. Check out the match summary below for more details.
