Lucknow Super Giants pulled off a thrilling chase at Eden Gardens on Thursday, reaching their target with 54 runs behind the seventh-wicket fall as Kolkata Knight Riders could not finish the job. The result also added several new IPL milestones to the record books, highlighting a late surge that proved decisive for LSG in a high-pressure run chase.
LSG’s successful chase: key records and comparisons
- LSG completed a successful run chase after the fall of their seventh wicket, scoring the second-highest such total in IPL history.
- The benchmark for the top chase after losing seven wickets belongs to Chennai Super Kings, who made 61 while chasing against Mumbai Indians in the 2018 opener at Wankhede.
- Thursday marked the second time LSG finished an IPL chase on the last ball of a match, with the earlier instance coming against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2023.
Mukul Choudhary’s late-innings impact
Mukul Choudhary’s finishing spell in the closing overs turned the chase decisively in LSG’s favour. He struck 52 runs in the death overs, underscoring how much of the required acceleration came in the most crucial phase.
- Only one batter has posted a 50-plus score in a successful IPL chase before Choudhary: Kieron Pollard against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2013, when he made 57 off 17 balls at the death as MI needed 62 off 24.
- Choudhary’s unbeaten 54 also defined the partnership that swung the momentum at a critical stage.
The seventh-wicket stand that sealed it: Choudhary and Avesh
The match’s turning point came through Choudhary’s unbeaten partnership with Avesh. Their stand ensured LSG carried on from a precarious moment and ultimately got over the line.
- Choudhary and Avesh put together an unbeaten 54-run partnership with Avesh Khan—this is the highest by any pair for the eighth wicket or lower in a successful IPL chase.
- The previous top mark in that category was 52*, achieved by Rinku Singh and Umesh Yadav three years earlier against Gujarat Titans.
- Choudhary accounted for 96.3% of the runs scored during the unbeaten 54-run partnership (he made 52 of those runs from 21 balls).
- Avesh faced only three deliveries during the stand and managed just one run at the start of the 20th over.
- The final margin came down to running details: a bye on the last ball sealed the win.
Record contribution within a 50-plus stand
- It was the highest contribution made by any player during a 50-plus partnership in the IPL.
- The previous best was 94.64 by Romario Shepherd during his 56-run partnership with Tim David last year against CSK, where Shepherd made 53 while David faced only one ball across 2.2 overs of striking.
Six-hitting and late-match drama: KKR’s last-ball record
Beyond the chase itself, the finishing phase contained additional statistical highlights—from Choudhary’s power-hitting to KKR’s record of letting matches slip at the very end.
- Choudhary struck 7 sixes in his unbeaten 27-ball 54.
- Those seven maximums place him joint-third among batters for sixes in an innings while batting at No. 7 or lower in IPL history.
- It is also the joint-most by any batter at No. 7 or lower in a successful IPL chase, matching Dwayne Bravo’s seven against MI in 2018.
- KKR have now lost 8 IPL matches on the last ball while defending a total—an IPL-high mark for any team.
- MI sit second to KKR with 7 last-ball defeats.
LSG vs KKR: head-to-head context
- LSG’s overall win-loss record against KKR in IPL stands at 5-2.
- That includes a 3-1 record at Eden Gardens, KKR’s home ground.
- Both of KKR’s victories over LSG in the 2024 season came during the same year when KKR went on to win the title.
- Three of LSG’s four earlier wins against KKR have been by narrow margins of 4 runs, 1 run, and 2 runs.
