GT vs LSG, 26th Match at Lucknow, IPL, Apr 12 2025 - Match Result

7.50pm Lucknow Super Giants continue to gather momentum, while Gujarat Titans hit a bump to end their hot run. We got more of Nicky P today, and while Marsh was missing, Aiden Markram put on a fine display at the top of the order. Deivarayan Muthu's report can catch you all up on how the game went, if you missed it. There's more IPL action in store for us from Hyderabad, where Punjab Kings have gotten off to a flyer. On behalf of Himanshu and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo, it's Abhimanyu signing off.

7.40pm Time for the presentation ceremony

Aiden Markram is the Player of the Match: "[On gathering form] You want to start the competition ahead of the game but I fell slightly behind. A change in role so was adjusting to that. Couldn't come off in the first few but grateful for the last couple of knocks. Schedules are packed so you're just hopping around playing lots of cricket. Lots to take in but ultimately you stick to your game. Some guys hit sixes for fun, but that's not my game. [On batting with Marsh and Pooran] You can easily [get sucked into trying to hit sixes]. But you always end up going back to your game as a player and if that's good enough for selection ... and the team can benefit, that's the most important. [Did the surface change?] Obviously it was slightly on the slower side under the hot sun. We were expecting a change after ten overs in our innings but with the lights on it got better. We have to keep it in mind that batting first, it can be tough in day games here."

Rishabh Pant: "Definitely feeling happy. Like we said before, just following the same process and believing in our ability and taking it one game at a time. [On the bowling comeback] I think the idea was mostly to bowl yorkers and slower ones into the wicket. And the way the bowlers executed at that point of time was amazing. [On GT's total] Definitely the way it went in the starting, we weren't happy, but the way we pulled it back was amazing to see. [On his batting] I think every match I am feeling much better. Today Marsh not being there gave me an opportunity and I thought the more time I spend at the wicket it'll help me going forward in the tournament. It's a team game eventually. You're going to keep winning the matches and put your best foot forward. [On Pooran] I think one thing is for sure is that we are happy to have Nicholas Pooran in our team. You want someone like him on your side and not batting against you. The way he is reading the game right now, the way he is batting is phenomenal."

Nicholas Pooran: "It was absolutely a beautiful wicket to bat on. It's not much talk. As a group we know we have depth in our batting lineup. Unfortunately Mitch didn't play so Rishabh stepped up and play. Nice to see Aiden get a start and carry on. I surprised myself sometimes. For me it's about trying to get the ball off as close to the middle of the bat as possible and trust my bat swing. If I tell you everything, they'll figure me out eventually [laughs]. Getting the opportunity to bat at No. 3, you need to make the play some times. You need to consolidate sometimes but you have to take your matchups sometimes. They got Sai on challenging me to hit on the big side but I had to be brave and take on my match-ups. Today was one of the days it came off for me."

Here is Sampath with some stats on Pooran:

Most times reaching fifty in less than 25 balls in the IPL:

9 - David Warner

8 - Kieron Pollard

8 - AB de Villiers

8 - Nicholas Pooran

Four of the eight by Pooran have come in this season, the joint-most by any batter in an IPL season, alongside Travis Head in 2024.

Shubman Gill: "Wicket wasn't easy to hit from the get go and this was the conversation that if there's one batsman set we have to play 17-18 overs so we can get to 200-210 but losing back-to-back wickets didn't help our cause. When we were batting the ball was stopping, it wasn't an easy wicket from the first ball. Our strike rotation wasn't as good as expected and that's something we have to work on. Always looking to take wickets, that was the conversation. We were behind the game but if we got a few quick wickets, we could take the match deep. We got a few wickets after the 10th over but the ball didn't stop as much as we thought it would. Fighting till the end was a good sign for us. That was the conversation in the second timeout, that we'll take it as deep as possible."

7.25pm It was billed as a battle of the top orders, and both top orders delivered. But it was LSG's that came out on top, with Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram showing more intent than Gill and Sai Sudharsan. to complete the second-biggest run chase at the venue in the IPL. LSG bowlers, led by Bishnoi, did extremely well to pull things back after the GT openers made 120. And then, despite Pant's rusty knock at the top of the order, Markram and Pooran delivered in Mitch Marsh's absence. A few late wickets saw the game drag till the final over, but Badoni held his nerve to seal the win for LSG. They have now won their last three matches, and four out of their last five.

R Sai Kishore will bowl the last over! Six needed off it.

Elsewhere, Lucknow are not the only Super Giants in action today. Another Goenka team will play the biggest football match of the season: it's Mohun Bagan SG vs Bengaluru FC in the ISL final.

Abdul Samad walks out

Nine needed off the last two. Here's Washington to Miller

Gill having a word with the umpire, possibly about that decision to not give Miller run out. Walks away in the end after some gesturing

Aravindavalli : "16.3 Jos Buttler has , maybe , dropped a chance for a comeback for the ages !" Would still be difficult for Titans to turn this around, but yeah, would have definitely made it a more tense finish!

Vinamr: "Miller on crease needing 24 off 24. Very very familiar."