In the IPL 2024, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma guided Sunrisers Hyderabad to a decisive 10-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday thanks to an amazing batting performance. The pair’s unreserved assault allowed them to easily chase down a target of 166, setting a record for the fastest chase of a target of 160 or more in IPL history.
With Head hitting a scorching unbeaten 89 off just 30 deliveries and Sharma hitting an explosive 75 not out from 28 deliveries, the LSG bowlers were left reeling as boundaries and sixes were flying in.
With 14 points from 12 games, this decisive victory propelled Sunrisers Hyderabad to the third spot in the IPL standings and solidified their status as a postseason contender. With the same number of points from an equal number of games, the Lucknow Super Giants are currently lingering in sixth place.
After the match, KL Rahul, the captain of LSG, was seen inconsolable and at a “loss for words” due to the amazing onslaught from the SRH opening pair. Nonetheless, a post-match image of Rahul talking with LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka after the defeat became popular on social media.
Goenka was clearly upset over the dismal loss to the Sunrisers and animatedly conversed with Rahul, indicating his frustration with his hand gestures.
The supporters, however, were not happy that Goenka chose to publicly criticise Rahul. Many LSG supporters thought the owner could have waited for the players to return to the locker room or another more private area before speaking with them. They also demanded that Rahul quit LSG, alleging that the team’s owner had treated him disrespectfully.
LSG led by Rahul
The Super Giants, who made their IPL debut in 2022, have advanced to the postseason both years under KL Rahul’s leadership. With just two games left, Rahul’s team will need to earn significant victories and hope that the other contenders lose to restore a spot in the top four this year. This is because the team recently suffered a defeat in Hyderabad.
Rahul, who has amassed 460 runs in 12 games this year, leads the team in scoring, but his strike rate of 136.09 has drawn harsh criticism. Rahul had a dismal performance against SRH, managing just 29 runs off 31 deliveries.
