Only now has the weight been lifted, said Lucknow Super Giants’ skipper Rishabh Pant after his team edged past Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Beating the reigning titleholders brought quiet joy - their first win in seven attempts this season, in the latest cricket news.

Six losses had piled up, one after another, until Thursday changed things. Relief showed in his voice, not triumph. A stumble-free game felt like progress.

A surprise twist came when LSG edged ahead by nine runs under DLS rules, thanks to a match shortened by heavy showers, just nineteen overs each. Their long wait ended, too, finally tasting success on home ground after four failed tries this season. Relief washed over the team following weeks of tough breaks and missed chances.

Rishabh Pant praises Marsh and bowlers after crucial win

“For the whole team, it means a lot,” Pant said after the match. “We have been trying a lot of things, and coming together on the same page means a lot for us. It’s been a tough season, but sometimes you have to go through the grind.”

Pant mentioned how the squad had spent time chasing a full match, one where fielding and scoring finally lined up. A solid outing, he called it - one where hitting and pitching meet just right.

The LSG captain broke down why he passed the last over to young leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi, chasing a tight target of 20 against aggressive hitter Romario Shepherd.

Also Read: LSG snap six-match losing streak as Mitchell Marsh and Prince Yadav stun RCB

“It was a tough call because we were under pressure, but Rathi was the right matchup for Shepherd,” Pant stated.

Falling just shy of victory, RCB skipper Rajat Patidar said their target slipped away without those final, powerful shots. Still, he believed they came within reach during the pursuit.

“We were pretty clear about how to approach the target. The boys played well and stretched the game nicely, but we were probably one or two shots behind,” Patidar said.

Right off, he called the pitch good for batting. Still, figuring out the problems felt impossible right then. Too soon to tell exactly where things broke down. Looking back will take a bit of time, he mentioned. Hard to break it all down straight after the match ended.

Falling short meant RCB missed an opportunity to lead the IPL standings, yet Patidar stressed they are keeping attention fixed on tackling each game as it comes. “We still have four games left. We’re just focusing on one game at a time,” he said.

Fans watched closely as Marsh moved through the overs, his rhythm unsettling RCB early. Patidar gave credit afterwards, saying each boundary tightened the chase.

“Mitchell Marsh was beautiful to watch. The way he played kept us under pressure. I was confused about which bowlers to use against him after the power play. But overall, the intent shown by our batters was really positive, and everyone looks confident,” he added.