With a convincing 23-run victory over the Gorakhpur Lions, the Lucknow Falcons maintained their Uttar Pradesh Premier League 2025 campaign and guaranteed a berth in Qualifier 2 against the Meerut Mavericks.
Abhay Pratap Singh (33), M Saif (32), and late appearances by Satyam Pandey (24) and Vipraj Nigam (13), who scored 24 runs in the penultimate over, helped the Falcons, who batted first, reach 170/7. M Rehman (2 wickets) and Prince Yadav (2/22) were the standout bowlers for Gorakhpur.
In response, Bhuvneshwar Kumar hit with the opening ball, causing Gorakhpur to wobble under early pressure. Siddharth Yadav (50 off 41) and Nishant Kushwaha (34) attempted to steady the pursuit, but their hopes were dashed by a lack of support and an increasing needed rate.
The Lions' demise was completed by Navneet Kumar's outstanding 3/33 and crucial spells of two wickets each from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Akshu Bajwa. After dominating their rivals in every area, Lucknow advances to a crucial matchup with the Meerut Mavericks for a spot in the championship game.
