MARKRAM BACK IN FORM, MILLER PASSES 3000-RUN MILESTONE

Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain Aiden Markram returned to form with a timely half-century for Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

After moving from Sunrisers Hyderabad, Markram had endured a slow start to IPL 2025 with scores of 15, 1, and 28 prior to his 53 (38 balls, 2x4, 4x6) to help Lucknow Super Giants maintain their dominance over Mumbai Indians.

LSG’s 12-run victory over MI was their sixth victory over the five-times IPL champions while only losing once.

Markram and Australian opening partner Mitch Marsh had set the tone upfront for the Super Giants with a whirlwind stand of 76 in just seven overs.

Marsh was the initial aggressor with 60 off just 31 balls (9x4, 2x6) with Markram content to play the anchor role at that stage.

It was after Marsh’s dismissal that Markram put the hammer down by swinging Vignesh Puthur and Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya for sixes in successive overs. Pandya, who became the first captain in IPL to claim five wickets, had the last laugh though when he had Markram caught on the boundary shortly after he had reached his fifty.

Paarl Royals captain David Miller, who is also in his first season at LSG, however maintained the momentum with a quickfire 27 off 14 balls (3x4, 1x6) to lift the Super Giants to 203/8.

Miller’s cameo powered the Royals skipper past 3000-career runs in the IPL.

“Didn’t know that,” Miller said after being informed of the milestone. “Playing so many years of the IPL, playing that long, you get stats like this.”

Mumbai Indians required a fast start from their all Betway SA20 opening pair of Ryan Rickelton (MI Cape Town) and Will Jacks (Pretoria Capitals), but both were dismissed cheaply within the first three overs.

MI attempted a recovery but could ultimately only get up to 191/5 to suffer their third defeat in four matches.

TOP SA20 RUN-SCORERS IN IPL 2025

Heinrich Klaasen (Sunrisers Hyderabad) | Total: 125 runs | Best: 34 vs Rajasthan Royals (23/3/2025)

Quinton de Kock (Kolkata Knight Riders) | Total: 103 runs | Best: 97* vs Rajasthan Royals (26/3/2025)

Aiden Markram (Lucknow Super Giants) | Total: 97 runs | Best: 53 vs Mumbai Indians (4/4/2025)

as at 5/5/2025

TOP SA20 WICKET-TAKERS IN IPL 2025

Noor Ahmad (Chennai Super Kings) | Total: 9 wickets | Best: 4/18 vs Mumbai Indians

Matheesha Pathirana (Chennai Super Kings) | Total: 4 wickets | Best: 2/28 vs Rajasthan Royals (30/3/2025)

Trent Boult (Mumbai Indians) | Total: 3 wickets | Best: 1/23 vs Kolkata Knight Riders (31/3/2025)

as at 5/5/2025