Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffered a hearbreaking one-wicket loss to Delhi Capitals (DC) in their IPL 2025 opener on Monday. While it looked like LSG game for the majority of the match, having posted a target of 210 and reducing DC to 65/5, Impact substitute Ashutosh Sharma hammered a remarkable unbeaten 66 to snatch the win for DC in the final over of the contest. After the match, LSG captain Rishabh Pant was seen having an animated chat with head coach Justin Langer and franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka.
Social media users were quick to post memes regarding the meeting and some even referenced the infamous chat between Goenka and then-captain KL Rahul following a heavy defeat during IPL 2024 that resulted in a massive controversy.
However, LSG have now shared a video where Goenka was seen delivering a pep talk to the players following the "disappointing loss", but was seen motivating the squad.
"Lots of positive that I take away from this game in batting, in bowling," Goenka said in a video shared by LSG.
"The way we had the Powerplay in both batting and bowling was brilliant. We are a young team. Let's look at the positives and look forward from tomorrow to the 27th. And hopefully, we'll have a better result. Disappointing result but great game. So, well done," he added.
In the final over of DC's chase, Pant had the chance to win the game for his team, but he missed the chance to stump Mohit Sharma but used the DRS for lbw. The review indicated the ball had missed the stumps, allowing the Capitals to sigh in relief.
On the very next, Mohit and Ashutosh managed to scramble for a single, before the latter put the result beyond doubt by launching a straight six down the ground.
Speaking after the match, DC captain Axar Patel joked his team would be a bit unpredictable under his leadership.
"Be prepared for it now," a smiling Axar said after the close win. "It's going to be like this only under my captaincy. Things will be up and down a little. "
Pant, on the other hand, admitted: "I think our top-order batters played really well and I think it was a pretty good score on this wicket. As a team, we are looking to take positives from every match and as a team we are looking to learn from it."
(With AFP Inputs)