Ekana Stadium remains a puzzle that the Lucknow Super Giants simply cannot solve. On a scorching Sunday afternoon, the Gujarat Titans registered a dominant seven-wicket victory, handed LSG their sixth consecutive home defeat.
While the Super Giants’ innings struggled to find a consistent gear, resembling a dilapidated service bus for much of the middle overs, the Titans’ chase was a masterclass in composure. Anchored by an elegant 56 from Shubman Gill and a milestone-heavy 60 from Jos Buttler, GT chased down 165 with 8 balls to spare, signaling a serious return to form for the 2022 champions.
The Titans’ victory was built on the efforts of a disciplined, all-Indian pace attack. Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, and Ashok Sharma expertly used the bounce and test-match lengths offered by the Lucknow pitch.
Prasidh Krishna (4/24): He maintained his revitalized form, using clever changes of pace to tear through the LSG middle order. His wickets of Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran drained the hosts of their momentum.
Mohammed Siraj (1/19): Relentlessly attacked the batters with persistent, probing lengths, ultimately luring Rishabh Pant into an ugly slog that cut short his innings on 18.
Ashok Sharma (2/32): The young speedster used the short ball to great effect, at one point striking Nicholas Pooran with a bouncer that clocked 150.2kph.
I was trying to bowl a mixture of hard lengths, bouncers and off-cutters. The other pacers were trying to bowl pace on while I thought I could take the pace off the ball and it worked for me.Prasidh Krishna
| Phase | Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) | Gujarat Titans (GT) |
|---|---|---|
| PowerPlay (1-6) | 60/2 (Promising start) | 50/1 (Gill’s early charge) |
| Middle Overs (7-15) | Wickets at regular intervals | 84-run partnership |
| Final Score | 164/8 | 165/3 (Won by 7 wickets) |
| Top Performer | Aiden Markram (30) | Jos Buttler (60 off 37) |
A little bit of space from the game and time to just think... I’ve been focusing a lot on my set-up and basics. Great players like Matthew Hayden give the most simple advice: 'How well are you watching the ball?Jos Buttler
The run chase showcased a gripping captain-versus-veteran duel between Shubman Gill and Mohammed Shami. Although Shami began with precision, Gill eventually found his rhythm, taking apart his international teammate by scoring 20 runs in a single over.
However, it was Jos Buttler who truly stole the spotlight. After a lean run in the 2026 T20 World Cup, he rediscovered his fundamentals at the Ekana. He cracked 11 fours on his way to his 100th T20 fifty, capitalising on a reprieve when Rishabh Pant dropped him on 12, a moment that effectively settled the match.
Lucknow’s innings was defined by squandered starts. Aiden Markram appeared in sublime touch with a 21-ball 30 before succumbing to Prasidh’s short-arm jab ploy. Nicholas Pooran, typically a dominant force in white-ball cricket, was unusually subdued, scoring just 19 off 21 deliveries as the GT fast bowlers cramped him for room. Even with late cameos from debutant George Linde and Mohammed Shami, the final total of 164 fell at least 30–40 runs below a competitive par score.
Buttler milestone: With his 60-run knock, Jos Buttler became one of the few players to record 100 half-centuries in T20 cricket.
Shubman’s struggle: Although he scored 56, Gill appeared scruffy and out of rhythm for his first 13 deliveries before suddenly taking Shami apart.
Rashid’s return: Rashid Khan extended his dominant form in 2026, keeping an economy rate of 7.1 and applying a stranglehold in the middle overs that curtailed LSG’s scoring.
Home hoodoo: LSG has now suffered six straight defeats at their home ground, a run Rishabh Pant will be eager to end in the coming weeks.
Gujarat Titans are starting to resemble a team in full flow, blending a reliable top order with a homegrown bowling attack that recognises the importance of changing lengths. For Lucknow, the rush of last-ball victories has faded, exposing persistent problems in their middle-order cohesion and approach on home turf.