KL Rahul returned to the Ekana Cricket Stadium with a vengeance, guiding Delhi Capitals to a dominant 8-wicket win over his former side, Lucknow Super Giants, on Tuesday. The seasoned campaigner combined flair with precision, notching up a record-breaking unbeaten 57, while young Abhishek Porel added a composed 51 to steer DC to their sixth win of the season.
𝙆𝙇 𝙍𝙖𝙝𝙪𝙡 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛𝙛 𝙞𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙮𝙡𝙚 💥
Unstoppable 57* from Rahul seals the victory for #DC and a double over #LSG 💪
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/nqIO9mb8Bs#TATAIPL | #LSGvDC | @DelhiCapitals | @klrahul pic.twitter.com/KhyEgQfauj
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 22, 2025
Chasing a modest 160, Delhi’s top order came out swinging. Karun Nair and Abhishek Porel opened with intent, taking the attack to Shardul Thakur right from the first over. Nair’s quickfire cameo, which included a majestic six over Aiden Markram, set the tone before he fell to some clever spin by Ravi Bishnoi, undone by sharp turn that shattered his stumps.
But the early dismissal didn’t deter DC. Porel and Rahul stitched a crucial 69-run stand that not only steadied the chase but also showcased the contrasting styles of the duo — Rahul’s measured elegance complementing Porel’s youthful aggression.
Porel brought up his first half-century of the season with a clean strike off Bishnoi for an 83-metre six and followed it up with a composed single. The young southpaw looked set for more before Markram’s clever variation caught him off guard, resulting in a mistimed shot that landed safely in David Miller’s hands.
Skipper Axar Patel provided able support, surviving a dropped chance by Prince Yadav, before Rahul finished the match in style — launching a towering six over mid-wicket to silence the Lucknow crowd that once cheered his name. The win propelled Delhi Capitals to 12 points, leveling with Gujarat Titans, and boosted their playoff hopes. For KL Rahul, the performance was more than a statement — it was a homecoming with purpose.
Earlier in the first innings, LSG stumbled to a modest total of 159 after being asked to bat first in their IPL 2025 clash against DC. While at one point they looked set for a much higher total, the innings lost momentum after a flurry of wickets, including the critical departure of Aiden Markram.
Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Abdul Samad, David Miller, Shardul Thakur, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Prince Yadav
Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): Abishek Porel, Karun Nair, KL Rahul(w), Axar Patel(c), Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Dushmantha Chameera, Mukesh Kumar
