The IPL 2025 playoffs may be out of reach for Lucknow Super Giants, but their recent performances have been nothing short of spectacular. After decimating Gujarat, LSG left no stone unturned in spoiling Royal Challengers Bangalore’s party. Amidst this dominant display, a phenomenal century by Rishabh Pant, who had a rather subdued season until now, ignited a new controversy. Fans unleashed a barrage of comments on a social media post by LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka, who is usually seen in the stadium, often looking distraught at Pant’s dismissals. However, this time, Goenka was conspicuously absent from the ground to congratulate Pant on his magnificent hundred, a fact that didn’t escape the keen eyes of the fans. Pant’s fiery 118 not out off just 61 balls, featuring a fifty in 29 balls and a century in 55, powered his team to a mammoth 227. His Spiderman-style front-flip celebration after the century further endeared him to the crowd.

The controversy brewed when Sanjiv Goenka, typically a fervent presence in the stadium to support his team, was missing during Pant’s spectacular innings. Despite his absence, Goenka took to X (formerly Twitter) to congratulate his captain, posting a single word, “Pant’astic!” along with photos. This seemingly innocuous post quickly became a hotbed of user comments, with many sarcastically thanking Goenka for not being present, implying his absence was a good omen for Pant’s performance. One user notably quipped, “Thank you for not coming to the stadium, it’s working for Pant.” Beyond Pant’s heroics, Mitchell Marsh provided explosive support with a quickfire fifty. In the bowling department, LSG gave RCB a tough fight, despite a world record by Virat Kohli, who unfortunately lost his wicket after a fifty. Patidar fell cheaply, and Salt also departed after scoring 30, though Jitesh Sharma and Mayank Agarwal revived RCB’s hopes towards the end.