Abhishek Sharma stars at the top as already-eliminated Sunrisers take Lucknow Super Giants down with them

The fight for the one remaining play-off spot is now between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals as Hyderabad put an end to Lucknow’s slim hopes by pulling the plug on Monday.

- GNS News Agency

After making an impressive comeback with the ball in the first half of the match, the Sunrisers batsmen completed the job by reaching the target of 206 with six wickets and 10 balls to spare. There was no Travis Head for company due to a Covid infection, but that didn’t stop Abhishek Sharma from giving Hyderabad the required start in their chase of 206. Atharva Taide got a look-in, and perished for 13 in the second over before Abhishek took the job in his own hands. A boundary off Akash Deep in the third over got him going as barring the fifth over delivered by Digvesh Rathi, Lucknow appeared totally short on answers, not for the first time with the ball this season. Abhishek then took on Kiwi pacer Will O'Rourke as 29 came off the third and fourth overs before Rathi applied the breaks by conceding only 6 in the fifth. Off the next, Avesh conceded 14 before Ravi Bishnoi bore the brunt of Abhishek’s bat. In a season where the leg-spinner has struggled with his line and length, Abhishek wasted no time in launching an assault as he hit him for four consecutive sixes which took him past fifty. The over went for 26 runs and by the time Rathi returned for his second, Abhishek was back in the dugout, having made a 20-ball 59.