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IPL 2025: Ice-man Avesh holds his nerves as Lucknow Super Giants edge past Rajasthan Royals in last-over classic
For the second game in a row, Rajasthan Royals (RR) stumbled in a seemingly straightforward chase, unable to score nine off the final over. In Jaipur on Saturday night, Avesh Khan’s ice-cold death bowling turned a cruise into chaos, as Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) snatched victory from under RR’s nose.
Up until 17 overs of their chase, RR seemed set to break their three-match losing streak. But with 25 needed off 18, Avesh nailed his execution in a double-wicket over that went for just five.
He first dismissed a well-set Yashasvi Jaiswal for 74 when he backed away to scythe a yorker-length delivery behind point. Then, four balls later, Riyan Parag’s attempt to play a cheeky scoop to a full ball that reversed in to strike his toe caught him plumb in front.
RR went into panic mode, and stumbled at the finish line as LSG celebrated a jailbreak that didn’t seem possible.
Four nights ago in Delhi, RR failed to knock off the two runs they needed off the final ball. Here, they needed four. Shubham Dubey had just been dropped off the previous delivery by David Miller at long-on. This was his shot at redemption, but Avesh stuck his left arm out on his follow-through to stop a straight hit.
But there was more to the final over than just those last two deliveries.
With RR needing eight off five, Shimron Hetmyer swung wildly to get a thick outside edge to third man where Shardul Thakur fumbled to concede a second that wasn’t on. Shardul was immediately jettisoned to square leg because of the misfield. And guess what happened next?
Hetmyer played a powerful flick to an attempted leg-stump yorker to a waiting Shardul at backward square leg. Avesh then nailed a pin-point yorker off the fourth ball before the Miller drama and his own nifty effort off the final ball to seal an improbable win.
The spark came early, and it came young when Vaibhav Suravanshi, all of 14 years and 23 days, strode out for his debut as the youngest player in IPL history when he was brought in as an Impact Player for their 181 chase. And the moment didn’t faze him one bit.
Early impressions are that Suryavanshi is fearless. How else can you show that kind of audacity, where you make room and pummel your first ball in the IPL for six on the rise over cover? Shardul found it scarcely believable.
Surely that was a one-off. Maybe he was trying to calm himself. Nope. His second attempt, off just his third ball, was even more audacious. He cleared his front leg, exposing all three stumps, and bludgeoned a six down the ground off Avesh.
Fifth ball, there was even more drama. Avesh had steam coming off, and thought he’d done enough by banging in a short ball that Suryavanshi top edged. Prince Yadav, running back from midwicket, ended up dropping it and Ravi Bishnoi parried the ball to the boundary.
Rishabh Pant quickly brought on his trump card, hoping the youngster would swing at one blindly. Suryavanshi showed smarts in playing him out. But before long, he climbed into Rathi, muscling him for a six over deep midwicket, and then hitting Bishnoi straight down the ground.
But on 34, Suryavanshi was deceived in flight by Aiden Markram, who was only perhaps operating because the accomplished bowlers had been taken to the cleaners by Suryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who put on 85 off just 8.3 overs. He got one to turn sharply to beat a lunging Suryavanshi. His back foot was in the air, and Pant has him stumped.
The Suryavanshi show was over, but not before he had had millions excited for more.
Jaiswal soon raised a half-century off just 31 balls – his fourth half-century in five innings – and seemed set to see the chase. His picking of lengths against spin was impeccable, until one grave mistake gave LSG an opening they burst through.
Bowlers may have heroically helped seal victory, but Abdul Samad’s contribution – an unbeaten 10-ball 30 – was as important.
He was held back on the face of a batting collapse – LSG were 54 for 3 when Pant fell cheaply – for him to be able to maximise damage in the end overs along with David Miller. This meant LSG summoned Ayush Badoni as their Impact Player to stabilise the innings, replacing Mitchell Marsh.
The consequence of this move was that they couldn’t now bring in Mayank Yadav, listed as one of the Impact Subs, even if they had him in their plans.
Badoni repaid the faith, scoring 50 in 34, to repair the innings with Markram, who top-scored with 66. But it was truly Samad’s pyrotechnics in the end that lifted a floundering innings.
Holding his shape and picking deliveries off Sandeep Sharma’s hand, Samad picked his arc between deep squares and deep midwicket to pummel four sixes in a 27-run final over that gave LSG momentum.
In terms of overall contribution, this was worth its weight in gold, one that combined with Avesh’s to strengthen LSG’s position in the top four – all of whom now have 10 points.
Brief scores:
Lucknow Super Giants 180 for 5 in 20 overs (Aiden Markram 66, Nicholas Pooran 11, Ayush Badoni 50, Abdul Samad 30*; Jofra Archer 1-32, Sandeep Sharma 1-55, Thushar Deshpande 1-26, Wanidu Hasaranga 2-31) beat Rajasthan Royals 178 for 5 in 20 overs (Yashaswi Jaiswal 74, Vaibhav Suryanathi 34, Riyan Parag 39, Shimron Hetmyer 12; Shardul Thakur 1-34, Avesh Khan 3-37,Aiden Markram 1-18) by two runs
[Cricinfo]
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Level III landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale extended
The landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has extended the Level III RED landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale until 1600hrs on 11th December 2025.
Accordingly,
The LEVEL III RED landslide warnings issued to the the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Kundasale, Pasbage Korale, Medadumbara, Ganga Ihala Korale, Hatharaliyadda, Pathadumbara, Doluwa, Panvila, Gangawata Korale, Ududumbara, Akurana, Yatinuwara, Harispattuwa, Deltota, Thumpane, Poojapitiya, Udapalatha, Udunuwara, Minipe and Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district, Aranayaka, Yatiyanthota, Rambukkana, Bulathkohupitiya and Mawanella in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Mawathagama and Rideegama in the Kurunegala district, and Rattota, Laggala Pallegama, Ukuwela, Matale, Wilgamuwa, Pallepola, Naula, Yatawatta and Ambanganga Korale in the Matale district have been extended.
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Ella, Haputhale, Lunugala, Welimada, Haldummulla and Passara in the Badulla district, Warakapola, Galigamuwa, Kegalle, Dehiowita, Ruwanwella and Deraniyagala in the Kegalle district, Polgahawela and Alawwa in the Kurunegala district, Kothmale East, Walapane, Thalawakele, Nuwara Eliya, Kothmale West, Nildandahinna, Mathurata, Ambagamuwa Korale, Hanguranketha and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district. and Kolonna, Godakawela and Kahawaththa in the Ratnapura district.
LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Divulapitiya, Attanagalla and Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, and Kiriella, Eheliyagoda, Balangoda, Kaltota, Openayake, Nivithigala, Imbulpe, Ayagama, Kuruwita, Kalawana, Elapatha, Pelmadulla and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district.
The handover of 35 tonnes of Russian Humanitarian Aid to Sri Lanka, recently affected by the cyclone «Ditwah», took place at Katunayake today (10th December)
The shipment was welcomed at the Katunayake airport by Ambassador of Russia Levan Dzhagaryan, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilaka and Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd).
Ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan: said “This delivery is a reflection of long-term friendly relations between Russia and Sri Lanka and reaffirms Moscow’s commitment to support countries in a difficult humanitarian situation.”
The supplies brought by the EMERCOM (Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations) aircraft comprised a movable 60 kW electric power station, Pumping equipment for water drainage, Summer tents (10-person capacity) and Food supplies (sugar, vegetable oil, rice)
The total cargo weight is 35 metric tonnes. The aid will be distributed among the most affected regions.
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The team will depart for the United Arab Emirates today [0 December 2025] and has been placed in Group B, alongside Nepal, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
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