Rishabh Pant Reflects on Narrow Loss as Lucknow Super Giants Fall to Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025

Visakhapatnam Clash: A Thrilling Encounter

In a gripping match held in Visakhapatnam on March 25, Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant chose not to dwell on a critical stumping miss during a tense showdown against Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2025.

Ashutosh Sharma emerged as the unexpected hero for DC, scoring an impressive 66* and leading his team to a thrilling one-wicket victory, despite the odds being against them. His performance brought the required runs down to just six in the final over.

Pant made a strategic decision to hand the ball to Shahbaz Ahmed in the closing moments. On the first delivery, Mohit Sharma stepped out but failed to connect, resulting in a leg before wicket (lbw) appeal. Pant opted for a DRS review, which ultimately showed the ball had missed the stumps, giving DC a sigh of relief.

Mohit then managed a single, bringing Ashutosh back to the crease, who then hit a massive six over Shahbaz's head, sealing the victory for DC.

While DC celebrated their win, LSG fans were left reflecting on the missed stumping opportunity. Pant acknowledged that such moments are part of cricket, stating, “Luck plays a role in this game, and while it could have been a stumping chance, these things happen. We need to focus on improving our game.”

Despite the loss, Pant highlighted the positives, noting the strong performances from Mitchell Marsh (72) and Nicholas Pooran (75), who entertained the crowd and helped LSG post a competitive score over 200 runs.

Pant emphasized the importance of learning from each match, stating, “Our top-order batters performed well, and we need to take the positives from every game. The more we focus on the basics, the better we will become.”

The match saw a dramatic shift in momentum as the Capitals chased a challenging target of 210 runs. The Super Giants initially dominated, reducing DC to 65/5 by the seventh over, putting their chances of victory in jeopardy.

However, Ashutosh's remarkable innings, supported by key partnerships with Vipraj Nigam (39) and Tristan Stubbs, helped DC recover and secure the win. Pant acknowledged the contributions of these partnerships, stating, “They had some good partnerships that took the game away from us. We felt the pressure, but there are many positives to take from this match.”