Delhi Capitals delivered a masterclass to secure an eight-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium on Tuesday. Mukesh Kumar’s fiery four-wicket haul and KL Rahul’s unbeaten half-century powered Delhi to chase down 159 with 13 balls to spare.

Mukesh’s 4/33 restricted Lucknow to 159/6, while Rahul, facing his former team for the first time since their split, anchored the chase with a composed 57 not out off 42 balls, including three fours and three sixes. He sealed the win with a towering six off Prince Yadav. “It felt special, but my focus was on the win,” Rahul said post-match. Opener Abishek Porel set the tone with a brisk 51 off 36 balls, and an unbroken 56-run stand off 36 balls with Axar Patel ensured Delhi’s dominance. Lucknow’s spinners were outplayed as Rahul and Porel attacked judiciously, never allowing them to settle.

Lucknow’s innings began brightly with Aiden Markram (52 off 33) and Mitchell Marsh powering them to 51/0 in the Powerplay. However, regular wickets derailed their momentum, managing only 71 runs in the last 10 overs. Markram fell attempting a lofted cover drive off Dushmantha Chameera, while Mitchell Starc’s slower bouncer deceived Nicholas Pooran, who dragged it onto his stumps. Pooran’s 2.4 average against Starc in T20s is among the lowest for top-six batters. Mukesh struck twice in quick succession, dismissing Abdul Samad (2) and Rishabh Pant (0). Pant’s late entry at No.5 baffled many; he was bowled attempting a reverse-ramp off Mukesh, deflecting the ball onto his stumps.

Lucknow’s coach admitted, “We tweaked the batting order, but it didn’t work.” Delhi’s clinical performance underscored their strategic edge, while Lucknow must reassess their batting approach after failing to capitalize on a strong start. This defeat leaves them searching for answers as the IPL 2025 season intensifies.