In a riveting run chase at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium, Sunrisers Hyderabad demolished the Lucknow Super Giants’ playoff aspirations with a clinical six‑wicket triumph. Tasked with 206 for victory, the Orange Army reached their target in just 18.2 overs, finishing on 206/4 and leaving Lucknow with little hope of resurgence.
After the early departure of Atharva Taide (13)—drafted in to replace Travis Head—Hyderabad’s batting lineup picked up the pace. Abhishek Sharma anchored the innings with a superb 59 off 37 balls, while newcomer Ishan Kishan provided a brisk 35. The momentum never stalled, thanks to Heinrich Klaasen (47) and Kamindu Mendis (32), who stitched together crucial partnerships. In the final flourish, Nitish Kumar Reddy sealed the chase with a calculated boundary, sparking jubilant celebrations in the Sunrisers’ dugout.
On the bowling front for Lucknow, Digvijay Rathore was the pick of the lot with 2 wickets, and both Obed McCoy and Shardul Thakur chipped in with a scalp each. However, their efforts couldn’t stem the relentless scoring by Hyderabad’s top order.
This result extinguishes Lucknow’s playoff hopes and confirms the Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Punjab Kings, and Mumbai Indians as the last four teams advancing to the IPL playoffs. For Sunrisers, the emphatic win not only boosts morale but also keeps alive their slim mathematical chance of making it to the next stage.
