Abhishek Sharma’s Half-Century Eliminates Lucknow Super Giants from the Playoffs Race

The 61st match of the Indian Premier League 2025, played on May 19, 2025, at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, saw Sunrisers Hyderabad defeat Lucknow Super Giants by 6 wickets, chasing 206 with 10 balls left. This loss eliminated LSG from the playoff race and Abhishek Sharma’s 59 off 20 balls won him the Player of the Match award.

Lucknow’s Strong Start and Middle-Order Collapse

LSG batted first after SRH won the toss and chose to bowl. LSG’s openers, Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram, started strongly. Marsh scored 65 off 39 balls, hitting 6 fours and 4 sixes, his fifth 50-plus score this season. Markram made 61 off 38 balls, with 4 fours and 4 sixes. They put on 118 runs in 10.3 overs, taking LSG to 108 without loss by the 10th over. Marsh attacked early, hitting a six off Pat Cummins in the first over and another off Harsh Dubey in the second. Markram was equally aggressive, smashing a six and four off Dubey in the fourth over. LSG scored 69 runs in the powerplay, exploiting SRH’s loose bowling.

Marsh mania at the Ekana 💥pic.twitter.com/UD8agCCnHb

— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) May 19, 2025

SRH’s bowlers struggled initially. Cummins gave away 34 runs in 4 overs, and Harshal Patel conceded 49 runs, including a no-ball that Markram hit for a six. Dubey, on his IPL debut, had a tough start but got Marsh out in the 11th over, caught by Eshan Malinga at short third for his first IPL wicket. This dismissal slowed LSG’s momentum. SRH began taking pace off the ball, which disrupted LSG’s batting. Rishabh Pant, coming in at number 3, scored 7 off 6 balls before Malinga took a brilliant return catch in the 12th over. Pant’s poor form continued, with an average of 13.10 over 11 innings, and Nicholas Pooran scored 45 off 26 balls, hitting 6 fours and a six, but was run out in the 19th over.

Doing it with ease 🤌pic.twitter.com/x0LHe4y5I9

— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) May 19, 2025

LSG’s innings lost steam in the death overs, scoring 45 runs and losing 4 wickets from overs 17 to 20. Malinga bowled tightly, taking 2 wickets for 28 runs in 4 overs. Nitish Kumar Reddy bowled 2 overs for 28 runs, picking up 1 wicket. Harshal Patel got Markram out, reaching 150 IPL wickets, the second-fastest after Lasith Malinga. However, his expensive spell hurt SRH. LSG’s late collapse included run-outs of Abdul Samad and Shardul Thakur. Akash Deep hit a six off the last ball, helping LSG finish at 205 for 7. SRH’s fielding errors, like dropped catches by Aniket Verma and Ishan Kishan, allowed LSG to post a competitive total.

SRH’s Poor Start and Abhishek Sharma’s Fireworks

SRH’s chase began with Abhishek Sharma and impact player Atharva Taide. Taide scored 13 off 9 balls, hitting 3 fours, before Will O’Rourke dismissed him in the second over, caught by Digvesh Rathi at deep third. Abhishek dominated, scoring 59 off 20 balls with 4 fours and 6 sixes. He reached his fifty in 18 balls, hitting four consecutive sixes off Ravi Bishnoi in the seventh over, which cost 26 runs, the most expensive seventh over in IPL history. Abhishek hit six of the eight balls he faced from Bishnoi for sixes in T20 cricket. His aggressive batting powered SRH to 98 for 1 after 7 overs.

𝗔𝗯𝗵solute madness 🔥

Abhishek Sharma | #PlayWithFire | #LSGvSRH | #TATAIPL2025 pic.twitter.com/LwlT3X42Fw

— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) May 19, 2025

Ishan Kishan, batting at number 3, scored 35 off 28 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes. He fell to Rathi in the 12th over, bowled by a googly while attempting a reverse sweep. Rathi took 2 wickets for 37 runs in 4 overs, also dismissing Abhishek in the eighth over, caught by Thakur. Rathi’s send-off to Abhishek caused a brief altercation, with umpires stepping in. Heinrich Klaasen scored 47 off 28 balls, hitting 4 fours and a six, while Kamindu Mendis made 32 off 21 balls with 3 fours. Their 50-run stand kept SRH on track. Klaasen was dismissed in the 18th over by Thakur, caught by Pant after an umpire’s review confirmed an edge. Mendis retired hurt in the 18th over due to a hamstring injury.

LSG’s bowling lacked bite. Akash Deep conceded 33 runs in 3 overs, and Avesh Khan gave away 25 runs in 3 overs. O’Rourke, on debut, took 1 wicket for 26 runs in 2 overs but was costly. Thakur’s 4 overs went for 39 runs, though he got Klaasen out. Bishnoi was hammered, conceding 26 runs in 1 over. LSG’s fielding was sloppy, with Bishnoi misfielding and Pooran dropping a catch. SRH needed 41 runs off the last 36 balls, and Mendis’ fluent batting, including three fours in Rathi’s final over, made the chase comfortable. Nitish Kumar Reddy hit a streaky four and a single off O’Rourke in the 18th over to seal SRH’s win at 206 for 4 in 18.2 overs.

Left-handers, right intent! 🔥🧡

Ishan Kishan | Abhishek Sharma | #PlayWithFire | #LSGvSRH | #TATAIPL2025 pic.twitter.com/B421IHIrl6

— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) May 19, 2025

The match got SRH’s strong batting and LSG’s struggles. Marsh and Markram’s half-centuries gave LSG a great start, but their middle order, especially Pant, failed to capitalize. SRH’s bowlers, led by Malinga and Reddy, pulled things back in the death overs. In the chase, Abhishek’s explosive knock set the tone, and Klaasen and Mendis ensured SRH finished the job. LSG’s bowlers couldn’t contain SRH, and fielding errors didn’t help. This was the first successful chase of over 200 at Ekana. LSG ended the season seventh with 5 wins from 12 matches, while SRH’s fourth win in 12 games showed their potential.

What’s Happening in the Points Table?

Considering the points table, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are now out of IPL 2025. LSG, with 5 wins and 7 losses, has 10 points and a net run rate of -0.506, officially eliminated after a six-wicket loss to SRH. SRH, with 4 wins and 7 losses, has 9 points and a net run rate of -1.005, having been eliminated earlier.

🚨 LUCKNOW SUPERGIANTS OUT OF IPL 2025 PLAYOFFS RACE. 🚨 pic.twitter.com/fJd7bbU8pZ

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 19, 2025

Gujarat Titans lead with 18 points, followed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings, both with 17 points. Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals hold 14 and 13 points, respectively, while Kolkata Knight Riders have 12. Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, with 6 points each, are also out.

TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game

For IPL fans, the TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Day was when Digvesh Rathi got Abhishek Sharma out in the Lucknow Super Giants vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad clash. Abhishek was on fire, smashing 59 runs off 20 balls with 4 fours and 6 sixes at a strike rate of 295. Rathi tricked him with a googly, bowling it wide outside off, tempting Abhishek to loft it over cover. He mistimed it, and Shardul Thakur ran in to grab a great catch.

ABHISHEK vs DIGVESH MOMENT 🤯 pic.twitter.com/oEfs0LWhoe

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 19, 2025

Things got heated after the wicket in the 43rd minute — Rathi gave Abhishek a fiery send-off, and they exchanged harsh words. Umpires had to step in to calm things down. This moment stopped SRH’s charge and showed Rathi’s skill, but the ugly spat stole the show. Both LSG and SRH are out of IPL 2025, with LSG now eliminated and SRH knocked out earlier.

TCNI’s Hero of the Day

Heinrich Klaasen earned the TCNI’s Hero of the Day for his brilliant batting in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s chase of 206 against Lucknow Super Giants. With SRH in trouble, Klaasen smashed 47 runs off 28 balls, hitting 4 fours and 1 six, with a strike rate of 167.85. His calm and powerful 48-minute knock was just what SRH needed to seal a 6-wicket win in 18.2 overs.

KLAAS apart Heinrich 🤌

Heinrich Klaasen | #PlayWithFire | #LSGvSRH | #TATAIPL2025 pic.twitter.com/ZcbUhYpy3Y

— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) May 19, 2025

After Abhishek Sharma’s quick 59, Klaasen kept the chase alive, playing smart shots with Ishan Kishan and Kamindu Mendis. He fell to Shardul Thakur in the 17th over, but his effort ensured victory. Though SRH and LSG are out of IPL 2025, Klaasen’s clutch innings shone bright.