Well then, another exciting game wraps up as we march toward the final stages of this IPL season. Sunrisers Hyderabad have officially ended Lucknow Super Giants’ playoff hopes, shifting the spotlight to the next contest. Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, both eliminated, now face off at Arun Jaitley Stadium. With RR playing their final match of the season, they’ll be keen to finish on a high, while CSK, currently at the bottom, still have a couple of games left to restore some pride. Beyond the immediate result, both teams will look to refine their combinations with an eye on next season, ensuring this clash is anything but a dead rubber. The action gets underway at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT) on Tuesday, May 20. Stay with us for all the pre-match analysis and buildup. Until then, take care and cheers!
SRH’s Abhishek Sharma is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his match-winning knock of 59 off just 20 balls. He collects the award is walks to chat. On that incident with Digvesh, he begins by saying that everything is sorted out as they spoke after the game. Says that he would have had other plans it they batted first, but while chasing a total of 206, it was about making good use of the Powerplay. Says that he and Athatva had a chat that if they get their first ball in the arc, they will make smoke it out of the ground. Further adds if you ask any player with international experience in the last decade, they will say you should win the Powerplay first while chasing something above 200. Says he tried to express himself. On being an experienced player in the team now, he says it gives him an extra edge to take some more responsibility.
The victorious captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Pat Cummins, is up for a chat. He starts by saying that 205 was a bit more than they would have liked, but it could have been 220 at one stage, so it is fine. On Eshan Malinga, Cummins says that he has worked with the coaches throughout the season and has done well. Adds that when they are at their best with the bat, it doesn’t look like they are taking risks and probably could have done it a few more times this season. Mentions that they want to end the season well and a place like Bengaluru offers a different challenge, so we might see a few others get an opportunity.
It is time to hear from the Head Coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Daniel Vettori. He points out that it is a bit tough to get back after an extended break. Adds that the team had 3 good training sessions, and then pulling off a performance like this is fantastic. Mentions that Abhishek Sharma has been incredible and they are used to that kind of batting from him. Says that he was exceptional tonight against spin and his strike rate was out of this world. Adds that the development of the players, certain players step up sometimes, but it has been a difficult season for us. Stats that they are looking to give some game time to some players, and Kamindu and Eshan, two Sri Lankan boys, were exceptional tonight. He thinks that it’s more about understanding the conditions, and they wanted Travis Head and Abhishek to go out there and play aggressive cricket. Says that you need to give credit to the bowling side as well and he wouldn’t want to change the style rather adapt to the conditions quickly. Informs that Travis Head is in quarantine and he is good to go for the next 2 games.
The captain of Lucknow Super Giants, Rishabh Pant, says that it could have been one of their best seasons, but with all the injuries they had to begin with, it started to get difficult to close the gaps. Adds that the way they planned at the auction, they didn’t have the same bowling attack during the tournament, which could have made a difference, but they want to look at the positives and at the future. Reckons that they have enough firepower in batting and even the bowlers bowled well in patches. On defending 205, Rishabh says that they were 10 runs short and just weren’t able to use the momentum in their favor, which was the case for the tournament as well. On Digvesh Singh, he says that as a bowler, he has come up trumps in his first season, but as a team, they need to keep improving with time.
Earlier in the game, LSG’s openers wasted no time stamping their authority. Mitchell Marsh capitalized on a couple of lifelines to craft a commanding half-century, while Aiden Markram played with fearless intent, bringing up his own fifty. Their 115-run partnership set a solid foundation, but SRH clawed back with a couple of quick breakthroughs in the middle overs. Just as the innings seemed to taper, Nicholas Pooran’s explosive 45 off 26 reignited the charge. However, the defining blow came in the final over, where Nitish Kumar Reddy’s expensive 20-run spell propelled LSG past the 200-run mark, which wasn’t adequate enough in the end. For SRH, debutant Harsh Dubey showed promise, while Eshan Malinga impressed with a crucial two-wicket haul.
SRH did lose Ishan Kishan after a composed 41-run stand with Klaasen, but what worked in their favor was the measured approach from the incoming batters. There was no rush, no reckless strokes, just calculated batting that ensured stability. Kamindu Mendis and Klaasen played their roles seamlessly, keeping the innings on track as SRH cruised with ease. Meanwhile, LSG didn’t do themselves any favors, looking a bit lackadaisical in the field and also leaking too many extras, further tilting the game in SRH’s favor.
A massive heartbreak for Lucknow Super Giants at their backyard as they are now eliminated from the playoff race. To be fair, it never looked like they could pull off this game and defend their total. They become the fifth team to get knocked out of the season, which means the fight for the fourth spot will be between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians, who will play against each other on Wednesday, 21st May. Sunrisers Hyderabad, on the other hand, never looked even remotely threatened in the chase and they have made quite a habit of chasing totals north of 200, even in the season which hasn’t gone their way.
Halt! Right after completing the run, Kamindu Mendis holds his thigh as he has pulled off the hamstring of his right leg. The physio is out in no time to check him up. Kamindu, for now, is on the ground and is being helped with some stretching. Meanwhile, a detailed discussion is going around in the LSG camp, as a few players, including skipper Pant and Nicholas Pooran, converge towards the bowler. Uh, oh! Kamindu Mendis is being taken off the field now. He is limping and struggling to walk. As it stands, he is retired hurt. Nitish Kumar Reddy walks out to bat now.
W
Overs17.3
Score195 – 4
Shardul Thakur to Heinrich Klaasen, OUT! c Rishabh Pant b Shardul Thakur.OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Rishabh Pant knew it straight away and so did Heinrich Klaasen and the only possibility of a bump ball was also cleared by the third umpire. Shardul Thakur goes full and wide, flirting with the tramline outside off. Klaasen looks to reach out and squeeze it away behind square on the off side but ends up edging it behind to the keeper. At first, the on-field umpire unmoved and Pant wants to review, but soon enough, the umpire go upstairs to check the bump ball. Clear spike on UltraEdge and replays show that the ball bounced before hitting the bat, and Klaasen has to walk back after a solid knock.
Strategic Break! Well, it’s a pretty straightforward equation for SRH as they need just 27 off 24 deliveries, a tinge above run-a-ball from here, with seven wickets safe in the bank. Lucknow Super Giants are right on the cusp of getting eliminated, unless they pull off an absolute heist from this position. But with the likes of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Aniket Verma yet to come out to bat, and these two internationals glued at the crease, it is possibly the writing on the wall for LSG. Akash Deep is brought back into the attack now. He is 2-0-25-0 so far and replaces Shardul Thakur.
2
Overs14.3
Score168 – 3
Shardul Thakur to Kamindu Mendis, 2 runs.IN THE AIR…LANDS SAFE! A surprise bumper from Shardul, skidding off the deck, and climbing on the shoulders of the batter. Kamindu Mendis is rushed in the pull shot and the ball goes off the top edge. Flies over the keeper as Rishabh Pant gives it a chase and cuts it off before the ropes. Two taken in the meanwhile.
4
Overs13.2
Score156 – 3
Digvesh Singh to Kamindu Mendis, Four!MISFIELD, FOUR! Bishnoi could have done much, much better in the deep, but when it’s not your day, it’s just not your day! Pitched quite fuller, and on middle and leg, Kamindu Mendis chips it over mid-wicket as the ball rolls to the fence. Ravi Bishnoi runs across and slides to his right in the deep, but the ball spins in the opposite direction of his slide, running into the fence.
W
Overs11.3
Score140 – 3
Digvesh Singh to Ishan Kishan, OUT! b Digvesh Singh.OUT! KNOCKED HIM OVER! A needless shot, to be very fair from Ishan Kishan and out comes the notebook again for Digvesh. He dishes out a deceptive googly and lands it somewhere between the middle and leg stump, on a fuller length. Ishan Kishan premeditates and tries to play the switch hit, but certainly does not pick up the googly off the bowler’s hand. The ball lands, and turns away from the batter, as Ishan misses to connect and clips the top of the off stump. Ishan Kishan departs for 35 (28).
2
Overs10.6
Score133 – 2
Shardul Thakur to Ishan Kishan, 2 runs.Slower one again, just around off, on a nagging length. Ishan Kishan is early to go through the shot and pulls off the toe-end of the bat. Luckily for him, the ball lands behind mid-wicket and the batters hare back for the second run. An expensive over from Shardul as well, as he goes for 13 off his first over. Sunrisers Hyderabad need another 73 off 9 overs remaining.
W
Overs7.3
Score99 – 2
Digvesh Singh to Abhishek Sharma, OUT! c Shardul Thakur b Digvesh Singh.OUT! CAUGHT! A bit unnecessary from Abhishek Sharma but a huge wicket for Digvesh Singh and LSG! Digvesh floats the ball up and angles it well wide of the off stump. Sharma stays put and just reaches out with those long levers to loft it over covers. The timing just isn’t there and Shardul Thakur comes racing in from the deep to take a fine catch. Digvesh brings out that signature ‘notebook’ celebration and Abhishek has a war of words with him before the umpires intervene and separate the two. Sharma departs for a fiery 59 off just 20 balls.
Strategic Break. Phew, take a breather, shall we? Barring that one blip towards the beginning of the chase, Sunrisers Hyderabad have looked like a runaway train so far. Abhishek Sharma has treated us with some colossal hits and has already notched up an 18-ball fifty, looking unstoppable. Ishan Kishan has provided steady support from the other end, and this partnership is threatening LSG massively. Frustrations loom large for skipper Pant, as none of their bowlers so far have bowled with conviction, and to make their case worse, they have bowled a bit too many extras as well. It’s all about getting Abhishek Sharma back into the dugout, or else, it will be an early finish here, as we have seen this man finishing games like a one-man army. To break the stand, Digvesh Singh is back on. Went for six in his first over.
6
Overs6.6
Score98 – 1
Ravi Bishnoi to Abhishek Sharma, Six!SIX! Oh, through the hands and for another six! Bihnoi bowls it a bit short now and around middle and leg, Abhishek Sharma stays back and pulls it away to the left of deep mid-wicket. Nicholas Pooran covers good ground but as he reaches out for the catch, the ball bursts through the hands with the ball and Pooran both ending over the ropes. A massive over for SRH, 26 off it!
6
Overs6.5
Score92 – 1
Ravi Bishnoi to Abhishek Sharma, Six!SIX! Make that a hat-trick of biggies for Abhishek Sharma and what a way to bring up the FIFTY as well. This is floated up, full and outside off, in the hitting arc. Sharma with a step-hit straight back over the bowler’s head and gets it flat over the ropes. A fifty of just 18 balls!
