An exhilarating IPL 2025 double-header played out in Lucknow and Hyderabad on Saturday, April 12. In the afternoon, hosts Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) squared off with the visiting Gujarat Titans (GT). Later in the evening, Punjab Kings (PBKS) players travelled to Hyderabad to face hosts Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Nicholas Pooran and Abhishek Sharma bludgeoned sensational half-centuries for their respective franchises, while Harshal Patel’s tight four-over spell helped him hog the limelight with the ball.
Lucknow Super Giants won by six wickets against Gujarat Titans in match 26 of IPL 2025. Meanwhile, Sunrisers Hyderabad won by eight wickets against Punjab Kings in match 27 of IPL 2025.
In the afternoon match, Gujarat Titans posted a competitive score of 180/6 in their 20 overs. Shubman Gill led the scoring with a solid 60 runs off 38 balls, while Sai Sudharsan contributed a valuable 56 runs from 37 deliveries. On the bowling side, Shardul Thakur and Ravi Bishnoi each took two wickets, with Thakur finishing with figures of 2-34 in 4 overs and Bishnoi at 2-36.
Lucknow Super Giants, in response, chased down the target with ease, scoring 186/4 in just 19.3 overs. Nicholas Pooran was the star of the show, smashing 61 runs off only 34 balls, including an impressive seven sixes. Aiden Markram also played a crucial role, scoring 58 runs from 31 balls. Prasidh Krishna was the standout bowler for GT, taking 2 wickets for 26 runs in his 4 overs. Aiden Markram was named the Man of the Match for his outstanding performance.
In the evening match, Punjab Kings set a daunting target of 245 runs, finishing their innings at 245/6. Shreyas Iyer was the standout performer for PBKS, scoring an explosive 82 runs off just 36 balls, while Prabhsimran Singh added a quick 42 runs from 23 deliveries. Harshal Patel was the pick of the bowlers for SRH, claiming four wickets for 42 runs in his four overs.
Sunrisers Hyderabad made light work of the chase, reaching 247/2 in only 18.3 overs. Abhishek Sharma was the star of the match, scoring a breathtaking 141 runs off just 55 balls, which included an astonishing ten sixes. Travis Head supported him well with 66 runs off 37 balls. Abhishek Sharma’s performance not only earned him the Man of the Match award but also showcased his ability to dominate the opposition bowlers.
Abhishek’s innings was a spectacle to behold. He had been struggling with form prior to this match, but he turned it around in style. He was dropped twice during his innings and even caught once off a no-ball, but he carried on with his aggressive style of play. His ability to score runs quickly and invent new shots made his innings a memorable one.
“To be honest, I had written it today itself,” Abhishek said after the game, referring to a note he had prepared for his performance. “I just got a random thought that if I do something today, that will be for the Orange Army. I thought today was my day.” His belief in his abilities, coupled with the support from his teammates and mentors like Yuvraj Singh and Suryakumar Yadav, helped him regain his confidence.
Abhishek revealed that he had been sick for four days leading up to the match, but he was grateful for the encouragement he received from his fellow players. “I was sick for four days, I had a temperature,” he shared. “But I feel very grateful to have people like Yuvraj Singh and Suryakumar Yadav around me. They were the ones who were continuously calling me, because they knew that I can do something like this.”
After the matches on Saturday, the Orange Cap and Purple Cap leaderboards in IPL 2025 have become increasingly competitive. Nicholas Pooran remains the top run-scorer with 349 runs after his performance against GT. B Sai Sudharsan is close behind with 329 runs. Other notable players include Shreyas Iyer with 250 runs and Aiden Markram with 202 runs.
Looking ahead, the IPL action continues with Rajasthan Royals (RR) taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 13 at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, starting at 3:30 PM IST. Later, Delhi Capitals (DC) will face Mumbai Indians (MI) at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, at 7:30 PM IST. With the tournament heating up, fans can expect more thrilling performances and intense competition in the coming matches.
