New Delhi [India]: In the current Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, the Lucknow Super Giants’ “flawless” performance, according to former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, was crucial in holding Sunrisers Hyderabad to a “under-par” total and ultimately soaring to a five-wicket victory.

When it came to keeping the hard-hitting Hyderabad to a manageable total, LSG was well-versed. In order to aim yorker length and avoid striking the ball in the SRH hitters’ arc, the bowlers kept to hitting the stump line.

The Sunrisers staggered to 190/9 on a calm strip, a score that looked competitive on paper but was unable to adequately test Lucknow’s batting depth in practice.

Going to Hyderabad to play SRH is, in my opinion, one of the most difficult jobs. LSG, however, was very well-prepared. They were brave enough to carry out their strategy right away. Williamson said on JioHostar, “They bowled full and straight, actually fuller than full, aiming for the yorker length and occasionally missing on either side.”

However, they prevented SRH from controlling the game or confusing the opponent with their lengths and lines by doing this, which restricted their scoring opportunities. The leadership deserves praise for the preparation and consideration that went into it. “The flawless execution helped limit SRH to what might have been a subpar total,” he said.

Shardul Thakur was a major contributor to LSG’s success with the ball. Shardul didn’t see any paddle rise when his name appeared and ultimately remained unsold for the IPL 2025, despite having a base price of Rs 2 crore. He began getting ready for his forthcoming County Championship campaign with Essex.

However, after losing its main speedsters due to a few of injuries, the Super Giants made the decision to invite him to their camp. Shardul has been LSG’s primary weapon with the new ball ever since he returned to the IPL.

The 33-year-old made early progress on Thursday when he dismissed Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma, two young, daring southpaws, in the second over.

He made a comeback in the last overs, cleaned up SRH’s tail end, and had impressive 4/34 stats. With six wickets under his belt, he knocked Noor Ahmad off the top to claim the purple crown.

“An accomplished international player, Shardul was a great last-minute acquisition to LSG. Opening the bowling against SRH in Hyderabad is no small feat. However, he arrived with a well-thought-out plan that complemented the team’s approach and was well carried out,” he remarked.

They brought in every imaginable method of dismissal, bowled in a number of ways, and kept it really packed. He performed a great job, and it was a really successful strategy. “For such a unique performance, it was well-deserved to be named Man of the Match,” he said.

In response to SRH’s 190, LSG won by five wickets in Hyderabad thanks to Nicholas Pooran’s (70) unrelenting assault.