Lucknow – The Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium once again turned into a cauldron of excitement as the Gaur Gorakhpur Lions (GGL) registered a pulsating 14-run victory over the Noida Kings (NDK) in Match 6 of the Uttar Pradesh T20 League 2025. The Lions posted a challenging 186/7 in 20 overs, before bowling out the Kings for 172 in 19.3 overs to seal their second win of the season.
The contest, played under warm conditions with temperatures peaking at 32°C, was filled with explosive batting, disciplined spells, and moments of individual brilliance that kept fans gripped until the final ball.
Gorakhpur Lions’ Innings: A Steady Build and Fiery Finish
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Lions’ skipper Akshdeep Nath backed his team to make use of the batting-friendly conditions at Ekana. With the average first-innings score this season hovering around 192, a strong total was needed to challenge the Kings’ power-packed batting lineup.
The start was brisk, courtesy of Abhishek Goswami, who hammered a quickfire 30 off 20 balls, striking three boundaries and a six. His attacking approach gave the Lions early momentum before he fell inside the powerplay.
Captain Akshdeep Nath then anchored the innings with a composed 45 off 38 deliveries, striking four boundaries. His knock came at a crucial stage when wickets had fallen, and his steady hand allowed the Lions to regroup.
The real fireworks, however, came from Prince Yadav, who unleashed a late onslaught with an unbeaten 42 off just 22 balls. His innings, decorated with three fours and two sixes, proved decisive as he took on Naman Tiwari and Kunal Tyagi in the death overs.
Adding further weight to the innings was Hardeep Singh’s 28 off 18 balls, which included a valuable 50-run partnership with Nath for the fifth wicket. Together, their efforts powered the Lions to 186/7, a total that looked slightly below par but was made to appear formidable by their disciplined bowling later.
Kings’ Bowling: Early Control, Late Letdown
The Noida Kings’ attack looked sharp in patches. Naman Tiwari was the pick of the bowlers, returning 2/34 in four overs, including the prized wickets of Goswami and Shivam Sharma. Karn Sharma (1/33) and Mohammed Sharim (1/38) also chipped in, but the Kings struggled to apply pressure at the death.
The Lions plundered 87 runs in the final six overs, shifting the game decisively. Loose deliveries and poor execution at the back end undid the good work of the Kings’ attack earlier in the innings.
Kings’ Chase: A Roller-Coaster Ride
Chasing 187, the Noida Kings came out firing. Openers Shivam Chaudhary and Anivesh Choudhary gave them a blazing start, adding 56 runs in the powerplay. Shivam scored 26 off 18 balls, while Anivesh contributed 33 off 20, setting a perfect platform.
The Lions, however, hit back through their spinners. Abdul Rehman dismissed Anivesh and Yuvraj Singh (12 off 10) in quick succession, sparking a collapse. From a comfortable 90/2 in eight overs, the Kings slipped to 130/6 by the 15th over.
The standout for the Kings was Priyanshu Pandey, who played one of the most breathtaking knocks of the tournament so far. He smashed 62 off just 24 balls, laced with six fours and four sixes, single-handedly keeping his team alive. His aggressive partnership of 40 runs with Prashant Veer (28 off 16) threatened to swing the momentum back to Noida.
But the Lions held their nerve. Rehman (3/46), Shivam Sharma (2/35), and Vasu Vats (1/28) combined to stem the flow of runs and pick crucial wickets. Pandey’s dismissal in the 19th over, followed by quick strikes from Ankit Chaudhary (1/30) and Yashu Pradhan (1/32), sealed the Kings’ fate. They folded for 172 in 19.3 overs, agonizingly short of the target.
Key Turning Points
- Powerplay Blitz: The Kings stormed to 68/0 in six overs, but the introduction of spin curbed their aggression.
- Middle-Order Collapse: Four wickets fell for just 40 runs between overs 8 and 15, derailing the chase.
- Pandey’s Blitz: His 24-ball 62 brought the Kings roaring back, but his dismissal in the penultimate over ended their hopes.
- Lions’ Death Bowling: Despite early struggles, their bowlers held firm in the final overs, conceding only 20 runs in the last two.
Pitch, Conditions and Player of the Match
The Ekana pitch lived up to its reputation – true for batting early but slowing down as the match progressed. Spinners thrived in the middle overs, while pacers grabbed key breakthroughs.
Akshdeep Nath was rightly adjudged Player of the Match for his captain’s knock of 45 and astute leadership, ensuring his team maintained composure in crunch moments.
Post-Match Reactions
Gorakhpur skipper Nath praised his team’s resolve:
“We knew 186 was a fighting total on this surface. Our bowlers stuck to the plan, and Abdul [Rehman] was brilliant. This win is a good confidence booster.”
Kings’ captain Shivam Chaudhary rued missed opportunities:
“The start was excellent, but we lost momentum with quick wickets. Priyanshu [Pandey] was outstanding, but we need the middle order to fire consistently.”
Head-to-Head and Next Matches
This result narrows the head-to-head gap between the two sides. The Kings still lead 3-2 in overall encounters, but the Lions’ recent form has tilted the balance.
The Lions, coming off a heavy 50-run defeat to Kashi Rudras earlier, showed great resilience. They now look ahead to their next challenge against Kanpur Superstars on August 23. Meanwhile, the Kings, who have been inconsistent with just one win in their last three games, will aim to bounce back against Meerut Mavericks.
The contest highlighted everything that makes the UP T20 League 2025 unmissable – blistering powerplays, game-changing spells, and nail-biting finishes. For the Lions, it was a night of redemption and tactical execution. For the Kings, Pandey’s heroics offered hope, but middle-order fragility remains a glaring concern.
In the end, the Gaur Gorakhpur Lions roared loudest at Ekana, their collective effort proving just enough to outlast a spirited Noida Kings challenge.
