Avesh Khan bowled a sensational 18th and 20th over as LSG defended 180 to beat Rajasthan Royals by two runs in a Jaipur IPL classic.
Avesh Khan’s final-over heroics lift Super Giants to dramatic win in Jaipur
Lucknow Super Giants pulled off a stunning two-run upset over the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on Saturday night, with Avesh Khan delivering an ice-cold final over to close out one of the most thrilling finishes of the 2025 IPL season.
With RR needing just 9 runs off the final over and 8 wickets in hand just three overs prior, Avesh conceded only six runs while claiming the crucial wicket of Shimron Hetmyer, sealing victory for Lucknow and finishing with 3/37 from his four overs.
The match looked all but over earlier in the chase as Yashasvi Jaiswal (74 off 52) and Vaibhav Suryavanshi (34 off 20) powered Rajasthan to 156/2 after 17 overs, seemingly cruising toward the 181-run target.
But when Avesh removed Jaiswal and Riyan Parag (39 off 26) in a brilliant 18th over that cost just five runs, the Royals lost momentum.
Despite an 11-run penultimate over, Avesh’s death-bowling masterclass closed out the match and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
Earlier, Lucknow batted first and posted a respectable 180/5, built on strong contributions from Aiden Markram (66 off 45) and Ayush Badoni (50 off 34).
Finisher Abdul Samad chipped in with a late cameo of 30 off 10 balls, giving the Super Giants a fighting total.
“These matches build character,” said LSG skipper Rishabh Pant post-match.
“It was an amazing win. As a team, this is going to take us to a different level.
“We will do better going forward.
“All the credit to the bowlers holding their nerve.
“They batted brilliantly, but our bowlers held their nerves.
“The plan was to take our time and execute our ideas.
‘We wanted to take one ball at a time.
“We feel we are in a positive direction. We are just enjoying the win.”
The result lifts Lucknow to fourth on the IPL ladder, level on points with the top of the table.
Despite that, IPL sportsbooks still price them as +750 outsiders for the 2025 title on the sixth line of betting behind PBKS ($5), GT ($5.50), DC ($6), RCB ($6) and MI ($6).
For Rajasthan, the defeat is a dagger to their campaign, with title odds ballooning to +10000 at leading betting sites.
Disclaimer: It is your responsibility to abide by gambling and sports betting laws in your jurisdiction. The information provided on BettingPlanet.com is accurate to the best of our knowledge but should be used as a guide only.
