IPL 2025: LSG mentor Zaheer Khan slams pitch curator following loss to PBKS

Zaheer Khan is not the first person to criticize pitch curators during the ongoing IPL 2025.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor Zaheer Khan has levied huge charges against the curator of the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow after his team suffered an 8-wicket loss to Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 1 in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

Zaheer was discussing the IPL clubs’ home advantage and how he thought his team was deprived of it. The home advantage has been a hot topic in this year’s IPL, with many teams complaining about not having it during their home games. Zaheer has also joined this group, as evidenced by his words.

While Zaheer blamed the loss on not having the necessary home advantage, he was also willing to admit that his team did not execute well on the day. As a result, Zaheer wants LSG to concentrate on forthcoming games to make a comeback.

Zaheer Khan blames Lucknow curator for LSG’s loss to PBKS

During the post-match press conference, Zaheer Khan criticized Lucknow’s pitch curator for Tuesday’s defeat. The former Indian bowler quickly slammed the curator and stated that he does not consider it a home game for LSG.

“Considering it’s a home game and in IPL, you’ve seen how teams have looked at taking a little bit of home advantage. From that point of view, you’ve seen the curator is not really thinking that it’s a home game. I think maybe it looked like, you know, it was Punjab curator out here,” Zaheer was quoted by Cricbuzz.

Zaheer Khan also anticipated that this would be the final game on an unfavorable pitch for the home team. He believes that such a pitch will disappoint the home fans, who had cheered for their team throughout the evening.

“So that’s something which we will figure out. It’s a new set-up for me, but I hope that this is the first and the last game when it comes to that. Because you are disappointing the Lucknow fans as well. They’ve come up with so many expectations of winning the first home game here,” he added.

Zaheer Khan accepts LSG played poorly on home ground

While blaming the pitch curator, Zaheer Khan said that LSG did not play well enough to merit a win. He is certain that his squad will battle back, and he wants them to have the appropriate mindset to win the match.

“As a team, we are confident. We accept that we’ve lost the game, and we have got to do whatever it takes to make that impact in the home leg. We still have six more games to go here, and this team has shown in the season so far, whatever little cricket is played, that we have the right outlook and the mindset to look at the IPL,” he mentioned.

LSG have won one game and lost two so far. Their next match will be on April 4 against MI, at home in Lucknow.

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