Abhishek finds form as SRH end LSG's playoffs hopes
LUCKNOW: For the second successive season, Lucknow Super Giants failed to make it to the playoffs of the Indian Premier League, after the six-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad in their penultimate home game on Monday.
With just 10 points in 11 matches going into the game against Sunrisers, LSG desperately needed to win to stay in contention for the playoffs. They seemed to raise hopes after posting 205, but they could not pose any problem for SRH, who romped home with 10 balls to spare, winning by six wickets.
Opener Abhishek Sharma showed his might with willow, hitting his second half-century of the season to keep SRH going well in the run chase as the side raced to 72 in the first six overs. His 20-ball 59 (4x4, 6x6) made the difference after SRH lost opener Atharva Taide (13) in the second over.
Abhishek along with Ishan Kishan (35 - 28b, 3x4, 2x6) set the tone for an easy chase, adding 82 runs for the second wicket. Thereafter, Henrich Klassen (47 - 28b, 4x4, 1x6) and Kamindu Mendis (32* - 21b, 3x4, retd hurt) completed the chase at ease.
Earlier, overseas batters Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran produced fine knocks to help LSG post a challenging total after being sent to bat. Marsh and Markram pressed the accelerator from the word go to help the side post 69 in the Powerplay at an average of 11.50.
Marsh struck a boundary and a six off Pat Cummins before hammering debutant left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey for six on the very second ball of the second over. The two continued to hammer Dubey, Harshal Patel and even Eshan Malinga for big runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth overs.
Dubey though removed Marsh. The Vidarbha youngster created two chances for SRH early in the game and on both the occasions it was keeper Ishan Kishan who fumbled, first missing a tricky catch and then a stumping chance.
Before being caught by Malinga at third man, Marsh struck his fifth half-century of this IPL season, scoring a 39-ball 65 with the help of six fours and four sixes. Markram too struck his fifth fifty of this IPL, striking 61 in 38 balls (3x4, 4x6).
The two stitched together 115 runs for the opening wicket. But the real drama unfolded when a sizeable crowd cheered off-colour skipper Rishabh Pant in anticipation for a good show with the bat from him. But their disappointment continued as he could score just seven off six balls before being caught and bowled by Malinga. At No.3, it was yet another change in batting position for Pant after trying his luck as opener, No.5 and No.7 as well without success. On Monday, he was caught brilliantly by Malinga on his follow through.
Despite having Pooran (45 - 26b, 4x6, 1x6) at the crease, LSG could muster only 38 runs in the next five overs while losing two more wickets.
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