IPL: SRH batters end LSG's playoff chances

Sunrisers Hyderabad knocked Lucknow Super Giants out of contention for the Playoffs stage with a six-wicket victory in a high-scoring Indian Premier League encounter at the Ekana Stadium here on Monday.

- AJEYO BASU

It was a mere consolation for SRH, who had already been eliminated from the race for the Playoffs. They remained at the eighth spot on the IPL table with nine points from 12 matches. The result extinguished the hosts' already slim chances of making it to the knockout stage as they continue to be at the seventh position with 10 points from 12 games.

Chasing 206, the visitors shrugged off the early dismissal of opener Atharva Taide as Abhishek Sharma gave the SRH chase a solid start by plundering 59 runs off just 20 deliveries. Digvesh Rathi finally brought an end to the carnage when Sharma tried to go after a delivery which was a bit wide of the off-stump only to see Shardul Thakur pull off an excellent catch in the covers.

Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen ensured that the SRH innings remained on track by adding 41 runs between them over the next four overs before the former virtually gifted his wicket to Rathi while attempting a reverse sweep.