IPL 2025: LSG vs SRH must-win clash for Rishabh Pant's side as netizens say ¡®no chance Lucknow can qualify¡¯
LSG face SRH in a must-win IPL 2025 match to keep their playoff hopes alive. With Mayank Yadav out and SRH already eliminated, fans online share mixed views, calling out both teams' performances while expecting a tight fight at the Ekana Stadium.
With the IPL 2025 season heading into its final stretch, the clash between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match 61 at the Ekana Stadium, Lucknow, holds significant weight at least for LSG. While Pat Cummins¡¯ Hyderabad side is already out of the playoff race, Rishabh Pant¡¯s LSG still has a slim chance to make it to the top four, making every remaining game a must-win, and ideally, by a big margin.
LSG's last hope for playoff entry
Lucknow sits at seventh place on the points table with 10 points from 11 matches. Despite losing four of their last five games, they are not officially eliminated. With three fixtures left, including games against SRH, Gujarat Titans, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, LSG will need to win all of them to reach 16 points. But that¡¯s not enough. Their negative Net Run Rate of -0.469 means their fate also depends on other results going in their favour.
The team has faced a dip in performance recently, struggling to find rhythm. Rishabh Pant will need to lead from the front and turn things around in what is essentially a do-or-die encounter.
Mayank Yadav ruled out, O¡¯Rourke steps in
Adding to their troubles, key pacer Mayank Yadav has been ruled out of the season due to injury. He has been replaced by New Zealand¡¯s Will O¡¯Rourke, who may feature in the playing XI if the team opts for a bowling-heavy strategy on a slower Ekana pitch. The surface is expected to assist bowlers with limited bounce, and scores around 180-190 may prove competitive. Dew could also play a role, possibly influencing the toss decision in favour of bowling first.
SRH looking to play spoiler
Sunrisers Hyderabad, under the leadership of Pat Cummins, have had a disappointing season, managing only three wins in 11 games. While they¡¯re already out of the playoff race, they can still spoil LSG¡¯s slim chances. The Orange Army will also be looking to settle scores after a previous loss to Lucknow earlier in the season. With all overseas players available, SRH can field a strong lineup and finish the season on a high.
Social media has mixed reactions
Social media buzz around the game has been divided. One user recalled, ¡°Young Rishabh Pant was something else in white ball,¡± showing support for the LSG captain.
Young Rishabh Pant was something else in white ball
¡ª Sports syncs (@moiz_sports) May 19, 2025
Another user shared a match preview saying, ¡°LSG mathematically can qualify but LSG performance has been worse. No chance LSG can qualify, SRH played shitty cricket this season.¡± Fans online are clearly sceptical of both teams' campaigns, but with high emotions still involved, the match holds importance for pride and possibilities.
SRH vs LSG Match Preview
¡ª Raja (@_raja_kumar) May 19, 2025
LSG mathematically can qualify but LSG performance has been worse
No chance LSG can qualify, SRH Played shitty cricket this season
All these covered by me in this video #SRHvsLSG #LSGvSRH #LSGvsSRH #SRHvLSGhttps://t.co/jzdIFbSFYg pic.twitter.com/wjt4yAgwcI
The match may not decide a title, but it surely decides character ¡ª for both a desperate LSG and a proud SRH side.
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Nancy Jaiswal is a journalist who started her career in reporting and has covered both hard and soft news. From serious city news developments to lighthearted lifestyle pieces, she has written on almost everything hapenning in India (except maybe alien invasions¡ªyet!). For her, writing isn¡¯t just work; it¡¯s a passion, an obsession, and sometimes the reason she forgets to reply to texts.
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