In a thrilling encounter between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, Shardul Thakur carved out an unwanted yet historic moment in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The seasoned pacer bowled what is now the longest over in the tournament’s history—an astonishing 11-ball ordeal—during KKR’s chase at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens.
Thakur, stepping into the LSG XI as a replacement for Mohsin Khan this season, took the ball for the 13th over with KKR cruising in their pursuit. What followed was a rollercoaster of drama that left fans and analysts stunned. The over began with an unprecedented five consecutive wides—an erratic display of wayward bowling that tested the patience of LSG captain KL Rahul and electrified the Kolkata crowd. Each wide seemed to amplify the pressure, as Thakur struggled to find his radar against a rampant KKR batting lineup.
This 11-ball over, a rare IPL feat, echoed Tushar Deshpande’s wild 2023 spell versus LSG in Chennai and Mohammed Siraj’s grueling endurance test, marking just the third occurrence. over against Mumbai Indians in Bengaluru the same year. However, Thakur’s tale didn’t end in despair. Showing remarkable resilience, he clawed his way back into the contest, capping the over with a prized scalp—dismissing the in-form Ajinkya Rahane for a well-made 61 off 35 balls on the final delivery. The over, though leaky, concluded with 13 runs conceded, a figure that could have ballooned further without his late redemption.
Thakur wasn’t done there. In his following over, he struck again, sending the dangerous Andre Russell packing for a mere seven runs, finishing with figures of 2/52. His spell included eight wides overall, a blemish on an otherwise impactful outing. Interestingly, despite the extended over, Thakur avoided the ignominy of being LSG’s most expensive bowler, with Avesh Khan leaking 55 runs in his four overs.
The match itself was a testament to the IPL’s unpredictable charm, with Thakur’s record-breaking over becoming the night’s talking point. While Deshpande and Siraj hold their places in this quirky record, Thakur’s 11-ball epic at Eden Gardens in 2025 has now etched his name into IPL folklore—proof that even in chaos, a bowler can find a way to strike back.
