Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants: In Match 21 of IPL 2025 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata Knight Riders won the toss and opted to bowl first—a decision they might be regretting now. What followed was a batting masterclass from the Lucknow Super Giants, who posted a mammoth 238/3 on the board, thanks to blistering knocks from Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran. LSG’s innings got off to a solid start with Aiden Markram smashing 47 off 28 balls, setting the tone early on with 4 boundaries and 2 sixes before being dismissed by Harshit Rana.
Mitchell Marsh then took charge and played a commanding knock, hammering 81 runs off 48 balls with 6 fours and 5 sixes. However, it was Nicholas Pooran who truly lit up the evening in Kolkata. Coming in during the second half of the innings, Pooran was simply unstoppable. He blasted an unbeaten 87 off just 36 deliveries, striking 7 fours and 8 sixes in a jaw-dropping display of power-hitting. Abdul Samad added a quick 6, while David Miller remained unbeaten on 4. Among KKR’s bowlers, only Harshit Rana made some impact, picking up 2 wickets for 51 runs. Andre Russell chipped in with one, but the rest were taken to the cleaners.
With 239 runs to chase, Kolkata now faces an uphill battle. The pitch looks great for batting, but chasing such a total under lights will test even the best of batting line-ups. KKR will need a dream start and consistent acceleration throughout the innings to stay in the hunt. Meanwhile, LSG’s bowlers will be brimming with confidence, knowing they have a big cushion to work with. The second innings promises high drama, and fans are in for a thrilling ride at Eden Gardens tonight.
