Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) knocked Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) out of the IPL 2025 playoff race with a 6-wicket win at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. While LSG looked dominant for half the match, Abhishek Sharma’s explosive fifty changed everything.
Marsh-Markram Start Goes in Vain
LSG had a perfect start, racing to 108 for no loss in 10 overs. Mitchell Marsh scored 65, while Aiden Markram added 61. Nicholas Pooran chipped in with 45 off 26 balls. But once the ball got older, SRH’s bowlers tightened the screws. Eshan Malinga (2/28), Harshal Patel, and Pat Cummins used slower deliveries smartly, and LSG could only reach 205/7 by the end of 20 overs.
Abhishek Sharma’s Game-Changing Knock
Abhishek Sharma came in and turned the game around with a blistering 59 off 20 balls, including six sixes. He reached his fifty in just 18 balls—the fastest of this IPL season. In the 7th over, he smashed Ravi Bishnoi for four consecutive sixes, making it the most expensive seventh over in IPL history. That one over all but sealed LSG’s fate.
LSG’s Collapse and Captaincy Questions
From 108/0, LSG collapsed to 205/7. The middle and lower order failed once again. Rishabh Pant, who had promoted himself to No. 3, was dismissed for just 3 runs. His poor form has been a topic of concern all season and is likely to be a major talking point during the off-season.
Digvesh Rathi, in his debut season, was one of the few positives for LSG. He took the wickets of Abhishek and Kishan and also made headlines for a fiery send-off, which led to a brief on-field confrontation.
What’s Next? MI vs DC for Final Playoff Spot
This defeat means LSG are officially out of the IPL 2025 playoffs. Now, the fight for the final playoff spot is between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals. All eyes are on their remaining fixtures as the league heads into its final phase.
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