MUMBAI — The Wankhede Stadium, a cauldron of noise and passion, fell into a stunned hush on April 16, 2025, as Digvesh Rathi, Lucknow Super Giants’ fiery pacer, sent Ryan Rickelton packing and unleashed his now-iconic “notebook” celebration. The South African opener, who’d been tearing into LSG’s bowling like a man possessed, was stopped dead in his tracks, and Rathi made sure the crowd knew who’d won that battle.
Rickelton, Mumbai Indians’ dynamite opener, was in savage form, smashing 58 runs off just 32 balls. His bat was a blur, sending balls screaming to the boundary and beyond, giving MI a blistering start in their chase. The Wankhede faithful were on their feet, roaring for every shot, as Rickelton looked set to bury LSG’s hopes in the IPL 2025 clash. But Rathi, a bowler with a knack for big moments, had other plans.
In the ninth over, with MI cruising at 88 for 1, Rathi steamed in. His delivery—a sharp, skidding yorker—caught Rickelton off guard, crashing into the stumps. The stumps lit up, the bails flew, and the crowd’s roar choked into silence. Rathi didn’t hesitate. He pulled out his signature move: one hand cupped to his ear, the other miming a pen jotting in an imaginary notebook, as if ticking Rickelton’s name off a hit list. The gesture, bold and unapologetic, sent a ripple through the stands—a mix of awe and irritation from the MI diehards.
The wicket was a turning point. Rickelton’s departure broke a dangerous partnership and handed LSG a lifeline. Earlier, Rishabh Pant, LSG’s captain, had won the toss and chosen to bowl, banking on his bowlers to exploit the Wankhede’s pace-friendly deck. That decision looked shaky as Rickelton went on his rampage, but Rathi’s strike shifted the momentum. LSG’s dugout erupted, with Pant pumping his fist, knowing the game was back in the balance.
Rathi’s celebration, already a talking point this season, has become his calling card. It’s not just a taunt; it’s a statement. The bowler, who’d been carted around by Rickelton earlier, stood tall, owning the moment. For LSG, it was a rare bright spot in a powerplay that had seen them take a battering.
The match itself was a high-stakes affair, with both teams vying for early bragging rights in the IPL 2025 race. Mumbai, batting first after Pant’s call, leaned on Rickelton’s fireworks to set a platform, but Rathi’s intervention ensured LSG stayed in the fight. By the time the dust settled, the numbers told the story: MI at 88 for 2 in 8.4 overs, Rickelton gone for 58, and Rathi with a wicket that changed the game’s pulse.