New Delhi: It is rare for a batting display by Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran to go unrewarded. However, Ashutosh Sharma made a significant impact, ensuring that their efforts were overshadowed on this occasion. Sharma's remarkable unbeaten innings of 66 runs off 31 balls led the Delhi Capitals to a memorable one-wicket victory over the Lucknow Super Giants, with three balls remaining.

The explosive partnership between Marsh (72) and Pooran (75) initially set a strong foundation for LSG, but they faltered towards the end, with six of the last seven batsmen contributing only 13 runs collectively, resulting in a total of 201 for 8 in the match held in Visakhapatnam, which serves as DC's secondary home ground.

In pursuit of 210 runs, the Capitals faced an early setback as Shardul Thakur (2/19) and M Siddharth (2/39) left them struggling at 7 for 3. At that moment, their chances seemed slim, but Faf du Plessis (29) and Axar Patel (22) mounted a crucial counterattack, regaining some momentum and stabilizing the innings.

Just as the partnership of 43 runs began to flourish, leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi (2/31) claimed his first IPL wicket by dismissing Axar for 22 in the sixth over. This wicket halted Delhi's recovery and allowed LSG to regain control as they continued to apply pressure.

Despite the challenging situation, team mentor Kevin Pietersen expressed confidence in the remaining batting lineup, particularly praising Ashutosh during a mid-innings interview with the broadcaster. It was no surprise that he was the most jubilant in the dugout when the 26-year-old completed the chase.

Ashutosh, who was introduced as an Impact Player, first formed a crucial 55-run partnership with Vipraj Nigam (39), who dazzled during his brief 15-ball innings. He then collaborated with Kuldeep Yadav (5) and Mohit Sharma (1*) to secure the thrilling victory.

LSG collapses following Marsh-Pooran performance

On Monday, as Visakhapatnam prepared for sweltering temperatures, the audience was instead treated to a barrage of sixes. Opener Marsh (72 runs off 36 balls, including 6 fours and 6 sixes) set a vigorous pace, while No. 3 Pooran’s explosive innings (75 runs off 30 balls, featuring 6 fours and 7 sixes) further intensified the action from the start.

Marsh aggressively targeted Mitchell Starc (3 wickets for 42 runs), hitting him for multiple boundaries. While Starc struggled to rein in his fellow Australian, DC captain Axar Patel emerged as a crucial figure for the Capitals, effectively limiting the run flow from the other end.

The debuting spinner Nigam (1 wicket for 35 runs) made a significant impact by dismissing Aiden Markram for 15 runs in his very first over. However, just as it appeared that they were regaining control of the match, Marsh made a decisive statement during the Powerplay.

In the final over of the fielding restrictions, he took on Mukesh Kumar (1 wicket for 22 runs) and unleashed a series of powerful shots, ensuring that Delhi's early successes did little to impede the scoring momentum.

Pooran then formed an impressive 87-run partnership with Marsh, showcasing his remarkable power-hitting by scoring 28 runs in a single over against Tristan Stubbs. He executed a stunning display of aggression, hitting four consecutive sixes followed by a boundary, propelling himself to 70 runs off just 27 balls.

As Pooran's aggressive batting put Lucknow in a dominant position, Kuldeep Yadav, the standout bowler with figures of 2/20, shifted the momentum with an exceptional over. Bowling against his former captain, he dismissed Rishabh Pant for a duck on the sixth ball. Yadav has now claimed Pant's wicket three times in five IPL encounters, allowing only one run in that over and tightening the pressure on the batting side.

Following this, Starc delivered another significant blow by uprooting Pooran's stumps with a fierce delivery during his attempt to slog. Although Pooran had the potential to wreak havoc in the later stages of the innings, his dismissal hindered LSG's progress.

The Capitals successfully restricted the Super Giants to 209/8 after they had been on track at 133/1 in the 12th over, where they seemed poised to score between 240 and 250 runs, a turn of events that ultimately proved crucial.

Read Also: KL Rahul Misses DC's IPL 2025 Opener Against LSG, Flies to Mumbai for Birth of First Child

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