Lucknow Tremendous Giants’ hopes have been hanging by a thread and by the point the evening ended, it was curtains down as Sunrisers Hyderabad simply chased down 205.
The battle for the one remaining play-off spot is now between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals as Hyderabad put an finish to Lucknow’s slim hopes by pulling the plug on Monday. After making a powerful comeback with the ball within the first half of the match, the Sunrisers batsmen accomplished the job by reaching the goal of 206 with six wickets and 10 balls to spare.
Abhi-shakes-up the chase
There was no Travis Head for firm resulting from a Covid an infection, however that didn’t cease Abhishek Sharma from giving Hyderabad the required begin of their chase of 206. Atharva Taide received a look-in, and perished for 13 within the second over earlier than Abhishek took the job in his personal palms.
A boundary off Akash Deep within the third over received him going as barring the fifth over delivered by Digvesh Rathi, Lucknow appeared completely brief on solutions, not for the primary time with the ball this season. Abhishek then took on Kiwi pacer Will O’Rourke as 29 got here off the third and fourth overs earlier than Rathi utilized the breaks by conceding solely 6 within the fifth.
Off the following, Avesh conceded 14 earlier than Ravi Bishnoi bore the brunt of Abhishek’s bat. In a season the place the leg-spinner has struggled together with his line and size, Abhishek wasted no time in launching an assault as he hit him for 4 consecutive sixes which took him previous fifty. The over went for 26 runs and by the point Rathi returned for his second, Abhishek was again within the dugout, having made a 20-ball 59.
Abhishek Sharma’s free-flowing 59(20) set the tempo for #SRH‘s chase 🙌🧡
🎥🔽 WATCH his implausible knock | #TATAIPL | #LSGvSRH
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 19, 2025
With that kind of a begin, Abhishek had ensured Hyderabad have been forward of Lucknow all through the chase and with sufficient overs to return, Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen minimised the dangers whereas guaranteeing the asking price by no means received past their attain.
After resisting for some time, Ishan ended up making a gift of his wicket, going for a reverse-sweep off Rathi – the lone shiny spot in Lucknow’s assault – to present them a little bit of a hope. Nevertheless, subsequent man Kamindu Mendis not solely calmed Hyderabad’s nerves, but in addition gave the absolute best firm for Klaasen, who was in his groove. The Sri Lankan hit three successive fours of Rathi and the required run price, which was over 10 initially of the innings, got here down beneath seven by the 14th over.
Energy. Precision. Partnership 🤝
🎥 Heinrich Klaasen & Kamindu Mendis aced the #SRH chase with a flurry of boundaries 👊
Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/GNnZh90u7T#TATAIPL | #LSGvSRH | @SunRisers pic.twitter.com/suBBfeN1qD
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 19, 2025
Although Klaasen (out for 47) and Mendis (32 retired harm) departed within the area of three deliveries within the 18th over, Hyderabad ensured there wasn’t room for any drama.
Robust begin, wobble end
It was a story of two halves when Lucknow Tremendous Giants have been requested to bat first. Given the online run price (NRR) scenario, there wasn’t a lot of a selection left for them in deciding their method.
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Earlier than different outcomes might go of their favour, for them to face an opportunity of qualifying, that they had to enhance their NRR and batting first made it solely tougher.
And on an evening once they misplaced their manner and drifted off within the center overs, they needed to thank three of their abroad gamers for placing up a complete of 205/7 as the remainder of the batting unit got here a cropper, showing to squander their good work.
Rampaging Mitchell Marsh smashes fifth 50 of the season 🙌
🎥🔽 WATCH his power-packed effort | #TATAIPL | #LSGvSRH
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 19, 2025
Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh, in some ways, replicate Lucknow’s season to this point. It has been a event the place they’ve struggled for consistency, showing in good nick in a single sport and out of types within the subsequent. On Monday, they breathed fireplace on the high, placing collectively 115 runs for the primary wicket within the best of fashions as Hyderabad’s sloppy fielding additionally performed a serving to hand. As has been the case, it was Marsh who received going from first ball, taking up Australia captain Pat Cummins for a boundary and 6 within the first over to kickstart the assault.
As soon as Markram received his first boundary within the third over, there was no stopping Lucknow as Hyderabad’s assault bowled to their strengths. It allowed them area to tug and lower, which each these batsmen – proficient in horizontal bat photographs – feasted on as Lucknow as soon as once more received a very good begin within the Powerplay, making 69.
Aiden Markram’s easy 61(38) units the platform for LSG 👏
🎥🔽 WATCH his terrific knock | #TATAIPL | #LSGvSRH
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 19, 2025
Regardless that they didn’t shift gears considerably, runs flowed within the center overs earlier than Marsh’s dismissal within the eleventh over modified the course of Lucknow’s innings.
Rishabh Pant, coming in at No 3, endured one other low rating as his kind continued to go the flawed manner, Eshan Malinga being rewarded for some distinctive bowling.
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Nicholas Pooran’s arrival within the twelfth over ought to have taken Lucknow past Hyderabad’s attain. As an alternative, with the pitch starting to indicate indicators of slowing, Hyderabad would start their comeback. After repeated makes an attempt, Harshal Patel would nail his sluggish yorker that noticed the again of Markram for 61 as Lucknow’s required grandstand end by no means got here, regardless that Pooran fought valiantly.
On an evening once they struggled for inspiration, Malinga offered Sunrisers with loads of it as Pooran was made to attend until his twenty fifth ball for his first six, that too within the closing over. From 108/0 in 10 overs, 205/7 in 20 gave the impression to be an unsatisfactory complete.
Temporary scores: Lucknow Tremendous Giants 205/7 in 20 overs (Marsh 65, Markram 61, Pooran 45; Eshan Malinga 2/28) misplaced to 206/4 in 18.2 overs (Abhishek Sharma 59, Klaasen 47; Rathi 2/37) by 6 wickets