May 23, 2025: In a stunning upset during Thursday’s IPL 2025 clash, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), led by Rishabh Pant, handed a heavy defeat to Gujarat Titans (GT), shaking up the playoff dynamics. The loss has complicated GT’s path to securing a top-two finish, a coveted position that offers a second shot at the final through Qualifier 1.
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While GT’s qualification hopes are still alive, much now depends on other match outcomes. Emotions ran high post-match, with fans spotting a cold moment during the customary handshake where Shubman Gill appeared to ignore Pant — a move many interpreted as frustration boiling over.
In the post-match presentation, GT skipper Shubman Gill admitted the team gave away too many runs.
“We gave 15–20 runs extra. Wanted to stop them around 210. Huge difference between 210 and 230,” he said. “We were in the game till the 17th over, but chasing 240 is never easy. Some positives though — Rutherford and Shahrukh’s batting stood out. We need to regain momentum before the playoffs.”
LSG captain Pant, finally tasting victory after a disappointing campaign, was all smiles:
“Definitely happy. We’ve shown that we can play good cricket. There were injury concerns earlier, but the way Mitch, Markram, Pooran, and the whole batting unit performed today was commendable. Yes, there were fielding lapses, but we’ll learn and move forward.”
While LSG is mathematically out of the playoffs, their performance proved that they’re far from pushovers — a warning shot to all teams in the business end of the tournament.