Ahmedabad, May 23, 2025 — Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant has conceded that his team’s failure to seize crucial moments throughout the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign ultimately led to their early exit from the playoff contention. Speaking after LSG’s 33-run victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) on Thursday, Pant reflected on a season that promised much but delivered little.
“We talk about playing good cricket, and we’ve shown at times that we are capable of that. But the reality is, we had our chances to qualify for the playoffs and we didn’t capitalise,” Pant admitted during the post-match presentation. “It’s part and parcel of the game.” Despite ending their campaign on a high note with a dominant win over table-toppers Gujarat Titans, the result came too late for LSG, who had already been eliminated from the playoffs race.
Pant also pointed to injuries as a significant factor behind their inconsistent run. The team began the season without key pacers Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, and Mayank Yadav — a setback that affected their bowling options. While mid-season recruit Shardul Thakur added experience, and both Avesh and Akash returned, Mayank was featured in only two matches before being sidelined again.
“There were a lot of injury concerns coming into the tournament, but we decided not to use them as excuses,” Pant said. “Our batting unit stood up, but we were slightly below par in the field. All we can do now is learn from this experience and move forward.”
Against the Gujarat Titans, LSG finally clicked across all departments. Mitchell Marsh led the charge with a scintillating maiden IPL century, smashing 117 off 64 deliveries, including 10 fours and 8 sixes. Nicholas Pooran continued his fine form, hammering an unbeaten 56 off 27 balls. Together, they stitched a 121-run stand for the second wicket, lifting LSG to an imposing 235 for 2 — their highest total this season. Marsh also shared a 91-run opening partnership with Aiden Markram (36) to set the platform. He was particularly ruthless against Rashid Khan in the 12th over, taking 25 runs off it and reaching his century in just 56 balls.
Defending the target, LSG kept their nerve even when Gujarat Titans’ M. Shahrukh Khan threatened a late comeback. “It was always about getting their top three early. Shahrukh played a strong hand, but the target was above par. Full credit to our bowlers — they executed well under pressure,” Pant said. With LSG out of contention and Gujarat Titans already through to the playoffs, Thursday’s match was a formality on paper — but for LSG, it was a statement performance that came just a little too late.
