A blistering 20-ball 59 by Abhishek Sharma, studded with six towering sixes, led Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to a commanding six-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday, effectively eliminating LSG from the IPL 2024 playoff race.
Chasing a stiff target of 206, SRH got off to a flying start thanks to Abhishek’s aggressive stroke play in the absence of his usual opening partner, Travis Head, who was unavailable due to illness. Abhishek’s onslaught included four consecutive sixes off leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, three of which soared straight down the ground.
Following his dismissal by debutant Digvesh Rathi in the eighth over, there was a brief moment of tension as a heated exchange between the two players required umpire intervention. Rathi’s animated “notebook celebration” after the wicket further intensified the moment.
However, the SRH middle order ensured there were no hiccups in the chase. Heinrich Klaasen (47 off 28) and Kamindu Mendis (32 off 21) carried the momentum forward, wrapping up the game in 18.2 overs.
Earlier, LSG posted 205/7 on the board after opting to bat first. Mitchell Marsh (65 off 39) and Aiden Markram (61 off 38) gave the team a flying start, racing to 69 without loss in the powerplay. Marsh set the tone with a commanding six off his compatriot Pat Cummins, while Markram played elegant strokes down the ground.
Left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey, who topped the wicket charts in the recent Ranji Trophy, was targeted early by the LSG openers but made a strong comeback to remove Marsh in the 11th over, earning his maiden IPL wicket.
Captain Rishabh Pant, promoted to number three, once again failed to fire, managing only 7 off 6 balls before being dismissed by Eshan Malinga. Despite a valiant 45 off 26 from Nicholas Pooran, LSG’s momentum dipped in the middle overs, particularly between 11 and 15, where they scored only 38 runs for the loss of two wickets.
In the final over, Nitish Reddy, bowling for the first time this season, was taken for 20 runs, helping LSG breach the 200-run mark—but it ultimately proved insufficient.
With this win, SRH registered a morale-boosting result despite being out of playoff contention, while LSG’s inconsistent season under new captain Rishabh Pant came to a disappointing halt. Both teams still have two matches remaining in their campaign.
Brief Scores:
Lucknow Super Giants: 205/7 in 20 overs (Mitchell Marsh 65, Aiden Markram 61; Eshan Malinga 2/28)
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 206/4 in 18.2 overs (Abhishek Sharma 59, Heinrich Klaasen 47; Digvesh Rathi 2/37)
