HIGHLIGHTS RR vs LSG IPL 2025 Match 36 - Result, Scorecard

Welcome back for RR's response with the bat. The umpires are out already. Lucknow Super Giants form a last-minute team huddle, before they take the field. And what a moment for someone like Vaibhav Suryavanshi as he strides out as the Impact Sub for Rajasthan Royals, as Sandeep Sharma makes way for him. He will be partnered by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who will face Shardul Thakur with the new ball. Off we go...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Every bowler of RR chipped in with at least one wicket, except for Maheesh Theekshana, showing how well-rounded and effective their bowling unit was today, but will that last over cost them? Let’s see in the second inning. Now the stage is set for a cracking chase. Rajasthan Royals, playing at home, will look to hunt down this target with their youthful batting lineup. Meanwhile, LSG will back their bowlers to defend this competitive total on a pitch that hasn’t been easy to bat on. All eyes are on the action of the second inning, it’s shaping up to be a thrilling contest!

Aiden Markram of LSG is up for a quick chat. He first hands over the Orange Cap to Nicholas Pooran. Begins by saying he thought 180 would be a good score, and feels fortunate to get there in the end. Mentions that the wicket slowed down a bit and was also on the lower side. Advices that the bowlers shouldn't over-complicate things when they come out to bowl. Tells about bowling in the right areas and picking quick wickets. Ends by saying that if they get a good start with the ball, they will get a good chance to defend this score. Also says that he talks a lot with Klaasen. Says he is a spin basher and he tries a lot to learn from him. Mentions he tried to give it a crack and it worked for him nicely. Tells that Ayush Badoni is growing in confidence and the conversation with him was simple. Says he played a wonderful knock and feels they are in a strong position in the game.

Badoni brought up a brilliant fifty under pressure, playing a smart and composed knock that helped shift momentum. However, just when things were looking stable at 130/3, both set batters departed while trying to accelerate, which gave LSG a slight jolt in the death overs. But then came Abdul Samad, who just dismantled Sandeep in the last over and provided LSG the much-needed finish, which they would be hoping for. From the Rajasthan Royals' perspective, their bowling effort was commendable except for the last over. Each bowler stuck to their plans, kept things tight in the first half, and never allowed LSG to get away. Apart from Markram and Badoni, no other batter looked comfortable in their top six.

LSG opted to bat first, but the start was far from ideal. Mitchell Marsh, one of their key batters, walked back in the third over, giving Rajasthan an early breakthrough. Nicholas Pooran came in with positive intent and tried to steady things with Markram, but his stay didn’t last long either. He was trapped in front by Sandeep Sharma, and by the end of the Powerplay, LSG had already lost two wickets. Things worsened when skipper Rishabh Pant once again failed to get going, continuing his lean patch with the bat. At 54/3, LSG decided to use their Impact Player and brought in Ayush Badoni in place of Marsh. That move proved to be a masterstroke, as Badoni joined hands with Markram and stitched together a crucial 76-run partnership, the biggest of the inning.

That has been a solid fightback from Lucknow Super Giants after a rocky start, as they managed to post 180/5 on the board, courtesy of Abdul Samad’s sensational hitting in the last over, which went for 27 runs. Considering the early setbacks, they’ll definitely be on the happier side heading into the break. Till around the 16th over, it looked like a one-man show from Aiden Markram, who stood tall on a challenging pitch and brought up a classy fifty. He eventually fell for 66 off 45 balls, but his innings gave LSG a much-needed platform to post a competitive total, as without him, it could’ve been a very different story.

Sandeep Sharma to Abdul Samad, SIX! FOUR SIXES IN THE LAST OVER! Can't be breezier than this! Sandeep misfires a full toss this time around, outside off, Abdul Samad goes a bit deep into the crease, and heaves it into the orbit. The ball clears deep mid-wicket with ease for another six. A look into the heavens from Riyan Parag, as the last over goes for a mighty 27 runs. Lucknow Super Giants touch the 180-run mark with Samad's impactful cameo.

Sandeep Sharma to Abdul Samad, SIX! This is turning out to be a cracking finish for LSG! Another one into the pitch, on top of off, Abdul Samad shuffles to the off stump, waits for it, loads his shot and pulls it behind deep backward square leg, just over the boundary cushions for a six.

Sandeep Sharma to Abdul Samad, At 122.8 kph, this is on a good length, around off, Abdul Samad tries to swing for the hills, but mistimes it over mid on for a couple of runs only.

Sandeep Sharma to Abdul Samad, SIX! Make that two in a row! That is a cracking strike! Dug short into the pitch, outside off, Abdul Samad has all the time in the world to create a stable base to pull it powerfully behind deep mid-wicket for a huge six.

Sandeep Sharma to Abdul Samad, SIX! A genuine gift and Samad makes the most out of it! An attempted yorker gone wrong. A full toss, on the pads, Abdul Samad picks it up nicely and whips it aerially over deep backward square leg for a six.

Sandeep Sharma to David Miller, A slower bounce, angling across off, David Miller waits and flat-bats it down to long off for a single only.

Sandeep Sharma to bowl the last over. Can he keep Lucknow Super Giants under 160 here?

Jofra Archer to David Miller, Cannons in a yorker, on the pads, David Miller gets a bit of an inside edge to the leg side and runs a quick single. Just 7 runs off Archer's last over. He finishes his spell with 4-0-32-1.

Jofra Archer to Abdul Samad, Back of a length, a slower one, on top of off, Abdul Samad is early to pull across, and gets it pinged on the body, as the ball rolls to the off side, just near the strip. They get a leg bye.

Jofra Archer to David Miller, Excellent pinpoint yorker, on leg, David Miller inside edges it behind to the right of the keeper and steals a quick single.

Jofra Archer to David Miller, WIDE! He will have to reload that one again! Over-the-head bumper, on top of middle and leg, David Miller misses to pull as the ball passes above his helmet. Wide called. Riyan Parag, though, is not too pleased and reviews this Wide call. The split-screen replay comes up first. But the umpire requests Ball Tracking to confirm that no bat is involved. The projection shows that the ball is above the shoulder height, but instantly, the third umpire clarifies that the graphics are wrong. Hence, the Wide call stays.

Jofra Archer to Abdul Samad, Straight and full, pace on at 144 kph, in front of the sticks, Abdul Samad smashes it down to long on, but gets just a single.

Jofra Archer to David Miller, From around the wickets, Archer angles it onto the pads, fuller in length, Miller misses to whip it across and the ball deflects off his front pad and rolls towards the backward point region. They get a leg bye.

Jofra Archer to Abdul Samad, Jofra Archer is back on to bowl the penultimate over. On the hard length, at 128.4 kph, on top of middle, Abdul Samad mistimes it off the higher part of the bat, and pulls to deep mid-wicket. A single only.

Tushar Deshpande to Abdul Samad, Slower bumper, on the bodyline, Abdul Samad pulls it to deep backward square leg for a single. Just 7 runs off it. Excellent by Tushar Deshpande. He ends his spell with figures of 4-0-26-1.

Tushar Deshpande to David Miller, Wide of off, on a fuller length, carved through cover for a single.

Tushar Deshpande to Abdul Samad, A low full toss on the pads, this is flicked through mid-wicket for a single.

Abdul Samad walks out to bat now.

Tushar Deshpande to Ayush Badoni, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! TAKEN! A fifty and out for Badoni! Back of a length, a slower one, and just outside off, skidding through the surface quickly. Ayush Badoni stands tall and tries to loft it over the point region, but ends up mistiming it in the air. The ball sails straight into the hands of Shubham Dubey at deep point. Dubey initially takes a few steps forward, but sooner positions himself well to take it with a reverse cup, moving a bit backward. Ayush Badoni departs on 50 (34). LSG are 143/5.

Tushar Deshpande to Ayush Badoni, FOUR! Something adventurous from Badoni and he gets to his half-century. A pretty muted celebration, but he has played a perfect anchoring knock for his side. Short and slow, on off, Ayush Badoni reverse ramps it over the keeper for a boundary.

Tushar Deshpande to Ayush Badoni, An off cutter, outside off, on a short length, Ayush Badoni mistimes his shot and cuts it to the cover fielder.

Sandeep Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Too short and too slow, on off, Ayush Badoni pulls it over mid-wicket, on the bounce for a single in the deep. 8 runs off this over, 23 from the last three overs.

Sandeep Sharma to David Miller, In-between length, on middle and leg, David Miller steers it to the left of square leg. Badoni calls it for two initially, but the deep fine leg fielder is quick enough to get to the ball. Only a single.

Sandeep Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Angling on the leg stump, fuller in length, Ayush Badoni drives it to long on for a single.

Sandeep Sharma to Ayush Badoni, FOUR! SLAPPED AWAY! Back of a length, outside off, Ayush Badoni stands tall and smashes it over cover for a cracking boundary.

Sandeep Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Length-delivery, around off, sliced off the back foot to the cover-point fielder.

Sandeep Sharma to David Miller, Pitched fuller, on the stumps, David Miller drills down to long on for a single.

Sandeep Sharma (2-0-20-1) is back on.

Wanindu Hasaranga to David Miller, Fuller and spinning on leg, from middle, David Miller flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single to get off the mark.

David Miller is the next man in.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Aiden Markram, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! CAUGHT! A big, big wicket for Rajasthan Royals this as Wanindu Hasaranga snags his second wicket and brings out his signature celebration. Wanindu provides more revs on the ball and pitches it wide outside the off stump line. It lands, grips and turns away. Aiden Markram leans to smash it over cover, but is early into his shot, and mistimes it straight to Riyan Parag at long off. Parag is not dropping these dollies. Aiden Markram departs for 66 (45). Hasaranga breaks this 76-run stand as LSG are 130/4. But a brilliant knock from Markram whatsoever.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Ayush Badoni, Outside off, on a length, Ayush Badoni reaches for it and cuts it to deep backward point for a single.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Ayush Badoni, SIX! BOOM! Into the slot, on middle and leg, Ayush Badoni slogs it powerfully behind deep mid-wicket for a huge six.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Aiden Markram, Sliding on the pads, on a length, Aiden Markram goes for a big booming slog sweep, but misses and the ball ricochets off his body to the short third region. They get a leg bye.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Ayush Badoni, Dishes it on a length, around off, spinning away a shy bit. Badoni leans on it and drives through the vacant cover region for a single.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, On a dragged length and around leg, Aiden Markram pushes it back to the bowler. A fantastic over from Theekshana against the run of play.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, Tossed it up, wide outside off, Aiden Markram doesn't offer any shot and looks at the umpire to call it a wide but the umpire shakes his head.

Maheesh Theekshana to Ayush Badoni, Bowls it full again and around off, Badoni drives it to sweeper cover for one.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, Full and around middle, Markram makes room and drills it to long off for one.

Maheesh Theekshana to Ayush Badoni, Touch full and outside off, Badoni drives it inside out over cover point for a single.

Maheesh Theekshana to Ayush Badoni, A high full toss, around middle, Ayush Badoni goes on his knees and pulls it to deep square leg. Hetmyer cuts it off there and the batters take two runs.

Strategic Break! Lucknow Super Giants have picked up the pace of scoring in the last few overs. Aiden Markram is batting like a dream and has already notched up his fifty, while Ayush Badoni is playing the supporting role perfectly. These two will look to extend this stand for a few overs, and then the power hitters can come and finish with a bang. Rajasthan Royals need wickets, and they will hope that this break changes their fortunes a bit and their bowlers can get on top again. Also, Maheesh Theekshana to bowl after the break.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Ayush Badoni, Quicker and flatter, around off, Ayush Badoni skips down the track and pushes it to the right of the bowler. Wanindu slides across to his right to cut it off, but fails to do so, and the ball parries away towards long on as the batter gets a single.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Aiden Markram, Nagging length and around leg, Markram goes on the back foot and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Ayush Badoni, Full and around leg, follows the batter, Badoni flicks it to short fine leg for a quick single.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Ayush Badoni, BEATEN! Wanindu gives flight to the ball and pitches it up, around middle, Ayush Badoni goes on his knee and looks to sweep it across the line, but misses and gets hit on the right shoulder as the ball sharply spins away.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Aiden Markram, Drops it short now and around off, Aiden Markram goes back and pushes it to long off for another single.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Ayush Badoni, Tossed it up and around off, Ayush Badoni strides forward and pushes it towards extra cover and gets a quick single.

Tushar Deshpande to Aiden Markram, Just a dragged length from the previous one and on the pads, Markram uses his wrists to flick it to deep mid-wicket. Shimron Hetmyer makes a fumble there in collecting the ball, which allows the batter to go for the second and they complete it comfortably. LSG are 111/3 after 13 overs.

Tushar Deshpande to Aiden Markram, This is great bowling from Tushar Deshpande! Bowls a slower yorker now and around off, gives no room at all. Aiden Markram just manages to jam it out.

Tushar Deshpande to Aiden Markram, A play and a miss! Tushar bangs this short of a length as he sees Aiden charging down the track and touch outside off. Markram has to adjust his shot in the end as he looks to pull it down but misses.

Tushar Deshpande to Ayush Badoni, Goes fuller and on the pads, Ayush uses his wrists to flick it to deep mid-wicket for a single and changes the strike.

Tushar Deshpande to Ayush Badoni, WIDE! Too much short and outside off, going over the head of the batter. Called a wide. There have been too many extras already in this inning.

Tushar Deshpande to Ayush Badoni, Full and around off, Badoni drills it absolutely down the ground but Tushar Deshpande shows great skills there as he stops it with his right boot.

Tushar Deshpande to Ayush Badoni, WIDE! On a good length but wide outside off, Ayush Badoni shuffles across to chase it at first but decides to withdraw his bat in the end. Called a wide.

Tushar Deshpande to Aiden Markram, Changes his length and bowls it fuller as he sees the batter charging down the wicket. Aiden Markram has to adjust it in the end and he drives it to mid off for a single.

Maheesh Theekshana to Ayush Badoni, Short and around middle, Ayush Badoni goes on his knee and sweeps it in the gap towards deep square leg and picks up two runs again. The 50-run partnership comes up between the two!

Maheesh Theekshana to Ayush Badoni, Floated it up, around off, Ayush Badoni presses back and nudges it to deep mid-wicket for two runs.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, Full and around off, Aiden Markram makes room and drives it to long off for one.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, SIX! TONKED! Maheesh drops it short and around middle, Aiden Markram reads it early as he transfers his weight to the back foot and launches it over long on for a biggie. He is picking up the length quite early. This also brings up the 100 for LSG!

Maheesh Theekshana to Ayush Badoni, Tossed it up and outside off, Badoni drives it through cover-point and gets a single. The fielder tries to cut it off but gets a hand on it only.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, Short and around middle, Aiden punches it to long on for a single.

Sandeep Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Hard length and around off, Badoni pulls it but doesn't quite time it. The ball goes aerially towards deep mid-wicket and the batters run a couple in that time.

Sandeep Sharma to Ayush Badoni, FOUR! EASY PICKINGS! Sandeep overcorrects his line and length as he bowls around off, and on a good length, Ayush Badoni shuffles inside the line and scoops it. He helps it on its way to deep fine leg for a boundary.

Sandeep Sharma to Ayush Badoni, FOUR! CLASS ACT! Slightly back of a length and into the pitch, and outside off, Ayush Badoni makes room and slaps it over mid off for a boundary. He is into the act now which is a good sign for LSG.

Sandeep Sharma to Aiden Markram, Aiden Markram completes his fifty! Full again and outside off, Aiden Markram comes forward and drives it in the gap through covers. Yashasvi Jaiswal puts in a dive there at sweeper cover to cut it off, but the batters get three runs. A special knock from the South African player who is playing on a different track, as everyone is struggling here, but he is just timing the ball to perfection.

Sandeep Sharma to Aiden Markram, Sharma goes fuller but on the pads, Aiden Markram leans on and flicks it in the big gap towards deep mid-wicket and picks up two runs. Shimron Hetmyer cuts it off in the deep and throws it to the keeper.

Sandeep Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Sandeep returns and bowls it on a good length and outside off, Ayush Badoni waits for it and runs it down to deep third for a single.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Aiden Markram, SIX! BACK-TO-BACK BIGGIES! Wanindu Hasaranga bowls a half-tracker, on middle. Aiden Markram rocks back quickly and swats it over the long on fence again for half a dozen more. 13 runs off the over!

Wanindu Hasaranga to Aiden Markram, SIX! BANG! Aiden Markram goes big this time! Loopy delivery, full and on middle, in the slot as well. Markram gets to the pitch of it and tonks it over the long on fence for a biggie.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Aiden Markram, Flighted, full and on middle, Aiden Markram knocks it back to the bowler.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Ayush Badoni, Goes short and on middle, Ayush Badoni nudges it through mid-wicket for a single.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Ayush Badoni, A big shout for LBW again, but a lot more confident one! However, the umpire keeps his finger down. Wanindu Hasaranga and Dhruv Jurel convince Riyan Parag to take the review, and this one looks a bit closer than the previous one. Floated delivery, full and on middle, turns away a shy bit. Ayush Badoni goes down a bit across to sweep it but misses and gets hit on the pads. The only thing that can save him here is if the impact is outside off. UltraEdge confirms no bat involved, and Ball Tracking shows that both impact and wickets are the umpire's call. RR retain the review!

Wanindu Hasaranga to Ayush Badoni, Tossed up, full and on middle, angling in, Ayush Badoni strides out to block but misses and gets hit on the pads. A slight appeal for LBW, but turned down.

Strategic Break. It's been a cagy start for the Lucknow Super Giants, to say the least. Well, when you lose one too many wickets early on, the middle order, usually more accustomed to playing the big hits, is compelled to play the anchor role. Losing the likes of Marsh, Pooran, and skipper Pant inside the first ten has put a lot of pressure on LSG right away. However, it looks like Aiden Markram is batting on a different track, holding one end nicely along. But he needs solid support from the other end if they are to post something in excess of 180-ish. On the other hand, bowling has been disciplined by RR. With five overs of frontline spin left, they will be aiming to press LSG further back in the contest in the middle overs. Here's Wanindu Hasaranga into the attack after the break. He is 1-0-4-1 so far.

Tushar Deshpande to Ayush Badoni, Pitched up and on middle, Ayush Badoni tucks it to mid-wicket for one.

Tushar Deshpande to Ayush Badoni, FOUR! Glorious shot! Hits the length hard and on off, shaping just away. Ayush Badoni stays back, waits for it and uses the pace on the ball to steer it away through backward point for a boundary.

Tushar Deshpande to Ayush Badoni, A quick and sharp bouncer, on middle and leg, Ayush Badoni looks to hook it away but misses. The on-field umpire signals for the second bouncer of the over.

Tushar Deshpande to Aiden Markram, Hard length and on middle, Aiden Markram backs away and pushes it to mid off for a quick run.

Tushar Deshpande to Aiden Markram, Fuller and on off, Aiden Markram drives it straight to mid off.

Tushar Deshpande to Ayush Badoni, On a length and on middle, Ayush Badoni tucks it towards square leg for a single.

Tushar Deshpande to Ayush Badoni, Bangs in a bouncer around off, but this is too high for the batter. Ayush Badoni leaves it alone. Wided.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Aiden Markram, Flighted, full and on off, Aiden Markram pushes it to covers.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Ayush Badoni, A bit short and on middle, Ayush Badoni nudges it through mid-wicket for one.

Due to early fall of wickets, Lucknow Super Giants have decided to bring in their Impact Sub in the form of Ayush Badoni. He is in at number 5. Badoni is swapped in for Mitchell Marsh.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Rishabh Pant, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! A fantastic reflex catch behind the stumps, and Rajasthan Royals get another massive wicket. Wanindu Hasaranga dishes out a googly, full and on off, turns away a bit. Rishabh Pant gets into position for the reverse sweep but loses his balance and only manages to get an outside edge. The ball hits Dhruv Jurel, the keeper, on his chest and pops up. Jurel fumbles a couple of times but grabs it on the third attempt, showing good awareness. Pant walks back cheaply, and LSG are 54/3 now!

Wanindu Hasaranga to Aiden Markram, Tossed up, full and on middle, Aiden Markram eases it to long on for another run.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Rishabh Pant, Short again and on off, Rishabh Pant stays back and flicks it through mid-wicket for a run.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Aiden Markram, Short and around off, Aiden Markram moves back and punches it through covers for a single.

Wanindu Hasaranga is now into the attack for the first time. He replaces Sandeep Sharma.

Tushar Deshpande to Rishabh Pant, Pitched up and on middle, Rishabh Pant blocks it out.

Tushar Deshpande to Aiden Markram, Touch fuller and on middle, Aiden Markram drills it to long on for one more.

Tushar Deshpande to Rishabh Pant, Short of a length and on middle, Rishabh Pant runs it down to third man for one. 50 comes up for LSG!

Tushar Deshpande to Aiden Markram, Hard length and on off, Aiden Markram stabs it towards mid off for another run.

Tushar Deshpande to Rishabh Pant, On a length and on off, Rishabh Pant pushes it towards covers for a run.

Tushar Deshpande to Aiden Markram, Back of a length and on middle, Aiden Markram pats it towards mid on for a single.

Tushar Deshpande is into the attack now. He replaces Jofra Archer.

Sandeep Sharma to Rishabh Pant, Back of a length and on off, Rishabh Pant steers it to point. Just 4 runs and a huge wicket from the over. Lucknow Super Giants are 46/2 at the end of the Powerplay!

Sandeep Sharma to Rishabh Pant, Good length and on middle, Rishabh Pant keeps it out to the leg side.

Sandeep Sharma to Rishabh Pant, Touch fuller and on off, Rishabh Pant blocks it out.

Sandeep Sharma to Rishabh Pant, A massive appeal for LBW once again, but this time the finger stays put! Sandeep Sharma and Dhruv Jurel look very interested and convince their skipper to take the review. This is on a good length and on middle. Rishabh Pant looks to defend, but the ball goes past the bat and hits the pads. However, UltraEdge shows that there is an inside edge. RR lose a review now!

LSG skipper, Rishabh Pant, is in at number 4.

Sandeep Sharma to Nicholas Pooran, OUT! LBW! A superb response from Sandeep Sharma! He gets rid of the dangerous Nicholas Pooran and Shubham Dubey will be a relieved man as his drop does not cost them much. This is a perfect yorker from around the wicket, on middle, angling in as well. Pooran takes a couple of steps forward and looks to slog it across the line, but misses it completely and gets hit on the pads. There is a huge appeal for LBW, and up goes the finger without hesitation. Pooran has a chat with his partner and takes the review. The replay clearly confirms no bat involved, and Ball Tracking comes up with three reds. LSG lose their star batter and the review as well. Nicholas Pooran departs on 11 (8).

Sandeep Sharma to Nicholas Pooran, FOUR! Nicky P greets Sandeep Sharma with a boundary! Fuller in length and on middle, Nicholas Pooran gets right under it and thumps it through mid off for a boundary.

Sandeep Sharma is brought into the attack now. He replaces Maheesh Theekshana.

Jofra Archer to Aiden Markram, FOUR! EASY PICKINGS! Short of a length and down the leg side, Aiden Markram gets inside the line and helps on its way to deep fine leg for a boundary to end the over.

Jofra Archer to Aiden Markram, It could have gone anywhere! Hard length and around off, Aiden Markram presses back and looks to drag it to the leg side. Gets a leading edge that flies towards point.

Jofra Archer to Nicholas Pooran, DROPPED! Shubham Dubey puts down a relatively easy chance, and how costly will it prove for RR? Hard length from Archer and around off, Nicholas Pooran presses back and looks to pull it across the line. He gets a top edge only as the ball skids through the surface and hits the sticker of the bat. The ball goes towards mid-wicket, where Shubham Dubey tries to settle in underneath and extends both his arms upward to catch it, but spills out in the end. Dhruv Jurel runs forward to his right and nearly collides with Dubey there. However, the batters take a single.

Jofra Archer to Nicholas Pooran, FOUR! STREAKY! Slightly on the back of a length and well outside off, Nicholas Pooran throws his hands on it as he looks to cut it. But only manages to get a thick outside edge that flies to the right of short third for a boundary.

Jofra Archer to Aiden Markram, Excellent effort from Shimron Hetmyer to save one run for his side! Hard length and around middle, Aiden Markram stands tall and pulls it over mid-wicket. Hetmyer runs in to his left from deep square leg and puts in a dive to flick the ball inside the field. The batters get three runs.

Jofra Archer to Aiden Markram, BEATEN! An off-cutter, on a back of a length and around off, Aiden Markram gets squared up as he looks to defend it. Gets beaten on the outside edge on its way to the keeper.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, Fuller now and on the pads, Aiden pushes it to long on for a single off the front foot.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, FOUR! PUNISHED! Short and outside off, Aiden Markram makes room by going to the leg side of the ball and cuts it hard. He beats the diving point fielder to his right and gets a boundary there.

Maheesh Theekshana to Nicholas Pooran, Not that much short now, but on the pads, Nicholas Pooran goes on his knee and sweeps it, but straight to short fine leg where the fielder makes a fumble, which allows the batters to take a single.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, Leg bye! Tossed it up now and on the pads, Aiden comes forward to flick it but misses. Gets hit on the front pad and he gets a single for leg bye as the ball gets deflected towards fine leg.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, On a dragged length and in the channel outside off, Markram backs away and cuts it, but straight to cover-point.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, FOUR! CREAMED IT! Short and around off, Aiden Markram gives himself some room and punches it. He finds the gap between extra cover and mid off for a boundary.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, WIDE! Sprays it down the leg side, called a wide by the umpire.

Jofra Archer to Nicholas Pooran, Good length and around off, Pooran comes forward and drops it down to cover.

Jofra Archer to Aiden Markram, On a dragged length and around middle, with pace taken off, Aiden Markram works it away to deep fine leg for one.

Jofra Archer to Nicholas Pooran, On a hard length and around off, Pooran runs it down to third man for a single.

Jofra Archer to Nicholas Pooran, Archer greets the new batter with a bouncer! A well-directed bouncer, around middle, into the body of the batter, Nicholas Pooran ducks under it.

Nicholas Pooran is in at number 3. Also, down in Ahmedabad, Gujarat Titans have registered a famous win, as they have successfully chased down 204, with 4 balls to spare. Unfortunately for Jos Buttler, he remained unbeaten on 97. Rahul Tewatia, coming in at a crunch time, went for the kill and with two back-to-back big hits, a six and a four, against Mitchell Starc, in the last over, he took his side home.

Jofra Archer to Mitchell Marsh, OUT! CAUGHT! Shimron Hetmyer takes an excellent catch while running forward, and the dangerous Mitchell Marsh is gone for 4(6). Jofra bowls it into the pitch and short of a length touch outside off, gets a bit of an extra bounce off the deck. Mitchell Marsh goes on the back foot and shapes up for a pull shot. He mistimes his shot off the bottom part of the bat as he ends up getting a top edge towards deep backward square leg. Shimron Hetmyer runs forward a decent yard and takes a good catch while sliding across.

Jofra Archer to Aiden Markram, Short of a length and angling into the body of the batter, around off, Aiden Markram presses back and looks to ramp it at first. He gets cramped up for room and adjusts his shot in the end to open his bat face to cut it to deep third man for a single.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, Short and on the pads, Markram uses his wrists to turn it to deep mid-wicket for a single to retain the strike.

Maheesh Theekshana to Mitchell Marsh, This is again on the short of a length and around middle, Marsh eases out to long on for one.

Maheesh Theekshana to Mitchell Marsh, Nagging length and touch outside off, Mitchell Marsh shuffles across a bit and punches it to cover.

Maheesh Theekshana to Mitchell Marsh, Dragged length and around off, Mitchell pushes it back to the bowler.

Maheesh Theekshana to Mitchell Marsh, Keeps it short again and around off, Marsh covers the stumps and drops it down back to the bowler.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aiden Markram, Begins with a short ball, around middle, Aiden pushes it to long on for a single.

Hmm... interesting. Early sight of spin. Maheesh Theekshana to share the attack.

Jofra Archer to Aiden Markram, Good effort! Goes fuller and around off, Aiden Markram drives it on the up towards cover and Sandeep Sharma makes a good stop to his left there to save a couple of runs at least. The batters get just a single.

Jofra Archer to Aiden Markram, FOUR! CRUNCHED! On a good length and outside off, Aiden Markram gets width to free his arms and he slices it in the gap through cover point for another boundary. It went like a tracer bullet.

Jofra Archer to Aiden Markram, FOUR! NICE SHOT! Jofra Archer isn't happy with the effort from the fielder! Again on the back of a length, and outside off this time, Aiden Markram pounces on the bounce and punches it through covers. Shubham Dubey tries to hunt it down and even puts in a dive in the end, but the ball wins the race.

Jofra Archer to Aiden Markram, Hard length, into the deck, around off, Aiden rides the bounce and drops it down to cover.

Jofra Archer to Aiden Markram, OUCH! Back of a length, with an extra bounce off the surface, around off and middle, nips back in sharply. Aiden Markram hops up and looks to play it to the off side but gets beaten on the inside edge and gets hit on the back thigh.

Jofra Archer to Mitchell Marsh, Lucknow Super Giants and Mitchell Marsh are underway straightaway! On a good length from Archer, around middle, Mitchell Marsh throws his hands at it and looks to punch it down the ground, but ends up chipping it aerially to the right of the bowler. Riyan Parag gives it a chase from mid on and meanwhile, the batters take three runs.

Back in the Pink City, we are all in readiness for the action to begin. The two umpires walk out to the middle. RR's stand-in skipper, Riyan Parag, leads his troops to the ground as they spread out to the field. The usual pairing of Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh walk out to open for Lucknow Super Giants. A mini Ashes first up then, as Jofra Archer will open the bowling for Rajasthan Royals. 'The Bison' Mitchell Marsh to face the first ball. The countdown goes off and here we go...

Down in the neighbourhood, in the day game, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat Titans are firmly placed in the hunt of 204 runs. Jos Buttler and Sherfane Rutherford have bossed up the proceedings with the bat, with the former inching closer to his century as GT need 25 runs in the last three overs remaining, but more importantly, with 8 wickets in hand.

Jofra Archer from the Rajasthan Royals is up for a quick chat. He says that it has been just a normal rehab thing about his elbow injury, and he hasn’t done anything extraordinary. He feels that they could have won every game they have played except for one, and it is just that they have been unfortunate to miss out on those ones. States that they need a bit of luck to turn the tables around for them. Mentions that a lot of players and staff are still the same in RR, and he hasn’t found any difficulty in adjusting here with them. Tells that he will talk about the Ashes later.

While Sanju Samson's unavailability is a big blow for Rajasthan Royals in a very crucial match, it also marks a huge opportunity for Vaibhav Suryavanshi to showcase his talent at this grand level. At 14, Suryavanshi becomes the youngest player to make a debut in the IPL.

The stand-in skipper of Rajasthan Royals, Riyan Parag, says they were looking to bowl first as the wicket seems to settle under the lights. Informs that Vaibhav Suryavanshi comes in for Sanju Samson. Says it's been tricky, and admits they haven't been able to put up good performances. Also says they have been having some honest chats as a team. Says they love playing at home as they know the conditions pretty well. Is hopeful to put that to good use.

The skipper of Lucknow Super Giants, Rishabh Pant, says that they are going to bat first as the wicket is looking on the drier side and they want to take advantage of batting in the first inning, and he expects with little to no dew. Adds that he has told the players to stay positive and learn from their mistakes after a defeat in the last game, and they just want to improve overall going forward. States that he felt great with a fifty in the last game for the team’s cause, but he knew that a big knock was just around the corner, and he wasn’t that worried. Informs that Prince Yadav comes in for Akash Deep.

Impact Players for Rajasthan Royals - Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Yudhvir Singh, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Kunal Singh Rathore.

Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI) - Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubham Dubey, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag (C), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande.

Impact Players for Lucknow Super Giants - Ayush Badoni, Mayank Yadav, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahamad, Matthew Breetzke.

Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI) - Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (C/WK), David Miller, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur, Prince Yadav (In place of Akash Deep), Digvesh Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan.

TOSS - Lucknow Super Giants have won the toss and elected to BAT first.

PITCH REPORT - Simon Katich and Shane Watson are inspecting the pitch. Watto begins by saying that this is one of his favourite grounds in the world. Then talks about the dimensions, detailing that it is 67 meters and 63 meters on the squares, while the straight hit is 73 meters. Informs that a nice breeze is blowing across the ground. Katich then joins him and observes a good coverage of grass, also informs that pitch number 5 will be used for this game. He expects some good pace and bounce for the quicks. Sees some bare patches here and there, as it is too hot. Points that RR has a good record, with a 64 percent winning record at home. Highlights that two games were played last year on pitch 5, and RR won both times. Ends up by expecting it to be a high-scoring surface.

Just In - The big news coming from Rajasthan Royals' camp is that Sanju Samson has been ruled out of this game due to an abdomen injury. Riyan Parag will be the stand-in skipper for the hosts.

While we wait for the toss of this game, let's take a look at what's happening in the afternoon match. Batting first, Delhi Capitals posted a big total of 203/8 with Axar Patel's 39 and a quick-fire 37 from Ashutosh Sharma being the pick of the batters, while Prasidh Krishna picked up four wickets for GT. At the halfway mark during the chase, Gujarat Titans are 94/2, with Jos Buttler and Shefane Rutherford at the crease. You can just switch tabs to enjoy all the coverage of that game as well.

Lucknow Super Giants, too, are coming off a disappointing defeat at the hands of a struggling CSK side - a loss that would’ve stung, especially considering their promising start to the season. One of their biggest concerns remains their heavy reliance on the top order, particularly Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran. When these two don’t click, the rest of the batting lineup tends to falter. That said, Rishabh Pant’s return to form with the bat in the last outing is a huge plus, and the skipper will be eager to build on that momentum. Bowling has been far from their strong suit this season, but young Digvesh has been a standout performer, while Ravi Bishnoi slowly looks to be getting back into rhythm. The real issue lies with their pace unit, which has struggled to consistently deliver — and unless they step up soon, it could be tough for LSG to stay in the race. Both teams are hungry for a win, and with plenty at stake, this promises to be a fiery encounter you won’t want to miss. Who are you backing tonight? Toss and team updates coming your way shortly!

Rajasthan Royals will be kicking themselves after letting their last game slip away in the Super Over - a match that, for the most part, looked firmly in their grasp. Adding to their woes is the injury scare to skipper Sanju Samson, who had to walk off retired hurt, leaving a big question mark over his availability. Still, it wasn’t all doom and gloom. Nitish Rana stood tall with a gritty fifty and almost pulled off a heroic win, while Yashasvi Jaiswal’s return to form is a major boost at the top. The real concern lies in the middle order’s lack of consistency, which has hurt them in tight chases. On the bowling front, Jofra Archer has roared back to his best after a quiet start, leading the attack with pace and precision. However, the spin pair of Hasaranga and Theekshana haven’t quite hit their stride yet, and their dip in form has proved costly. But now, back on home turf with a sea of pink in the stands cheering them on, the Royals will be fired up to turn things around and grab those vital two points.

Hello and a very warm welcome, folks! We’re right in the thick of the action in the Indian Premier League 2025, and with the race for the playoffs heating up, every game carries massive weight. Tonight, the spotlight is on the iconic Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, where the Rajasthan Royals are all set to host the Lucknow Super Giants in a high-stakes showdown. The Royals will be eager to bag two crucial points to stay in touch with the frontrunners, while a win for LSG could see them break into double digits and solidify their place among the top contenders in the league.

... MATCH DAY ...

The weekend has arrived, and so have the double-headers. It’s Match 36 of the IPL 2025, where the Rajasthan Royals will be taking on the Lucknow Super Giants at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Both teams are having a different kind of season, as the Lucknow Super Giants are currently in the first half of the points table with 4 wins from 7 games, while the Royals are languishing in the bottom half with just 2 wins under their belt. The season started for LSG with some dire news of injuries to their bowlers, and all seemed to be lost. But hats off to their bowlers, who have led from the front and have put on some inspirational performances. Even in the last game, their bowlers did a fairly good job in making CSK work very hard in chasing down 167. Shardul Thakur had a rare off day in the game against CSK, but overall, he has been their pick of the bowlers, as he has 11 wickets in his kitty, the highest for LSG. The young rookie leg spinner Digvesh Singh, too, is enjoying a wonderful debut season as he has impressed one and all. Their premium picks, Avesh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi, are slowly getting into the tournament as they both have now got some wickets under their belt. In fact, Ravi Bishnoi bowled beautifully in the last game as he brought LSG back into the game. The news of Mayank Yadav joining soon is icing on the cake, as he would add some serious pace to this bowling attack whenever he is fully fit to resume. In their batting department, the biggest positive from the last game was the form of their captain, Rishabh Pant, who got 63 off 49 balls when wickets kept falling from the other end. Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh had a rare failure in the last game, and that, in a way, exposed their batting a bit, as they fell short of a par total. Ayush Badoni has been consistently playing cameos as well as getting some starts, and he would be itching to get a 50-plus score soon. David Miller's entry point is a matter of question, as he came in to bat at 5 down in the last game. Moving on to the Rajasthan Royals, they would be trying to move on from their last loss, as they lost to DC in a super over. It was a game that the Royals controlled for the most part, but lost their grip towards the end and then faltered. There were definitely some debatable decisions taken towards the end by the Royals, as Sandeep Sharma was asked to bowl the super over ahead of Jofra Archer, and Riyan Parag came to bat ahead of Yashasvi Jaiswal in the super over. Now coming to their bowling department, this season, except for Jofra Archer, none of their bowlers have been consistent. Tushar Deshpande, one of their expensive buys, is yet to deliver a match-winning spell. Sandeep Sharma, one of their uncapped retentions, has blown hot and cold. Wanindu Hasaranga has shown glimpses of his ability but has failed to stay fit at times and has missed two games till now. Maheesh Theekshana is not having a good season by any means, as he has failed with the ball in hand as well as in the field, where he has dropped quite a few catches. In their batting department, the story is somewhat better, but their main issue has been the lack of batting depth, which has, time and again, not allowed them to bat freely. In the game against RCB, they scored an under-par total of 173 for the loss of just 4 wickets. Similarly, in the last game, they failed to close the chase, in spite of having 6 wickets in hand. A recent positive in their batting department has been Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has now scored two 50-plus scores in a row. Riyan Parag has gotten a lot of starts but has failed to convert them into big scores. Nitish Rana, one of their newest recruits, has done well in patches, wherever his entry point has been early in the game. Shimron Hetmyer has been tidy but hasn’t had the kind of impact RR would have wanted from him, as he has failed to close out multiple games. Their skipper, Sanju Samson, has been getting a lot of starts but hasn’t converted any of them since their first game against SRH. Moreover, Samson, who took a blow to the ribs in the previous game, had to retire hurt, and his availability for the upcoming match remains uncertain. So, coming to this game, it will be a home fixture for the Royals, and they will be hoping to get a win under their belt at a venue where they have enjoyed a lot of success. LSG, on the other hand, would be itching to get back to winning ways after their close loss against CSK. So, will the wounded Rajasthan Royals get a win under their belt, or will the Lucknow Super Giants add an important away win to their kitty? We shall find out.