Cricket News, Shami, Pant, Cricket Updates
A clinical bowling display from Mohammed Shami followed by a composed half-century from Rishabh Pant guided Lucknow Super Giants to their first win of IPL 2026, defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by five wickets in Hyderabad.
After opting to field first, Pant’s decision paid immediate dividends as Shami delivered a masterclass in the powerplay. The veteran pacer returned exceptional figures of 2 for 9, removing Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head cheaply to put SRH under early pressure.
SRH’s troubles deepened when Ishan Kishan and Liam Livingstone fell in quick succession, leaving them reeling at 26 for 4 inside eight overs. However, a remarkable recovery followed as Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy stitched together a 116-run partnership — the highest fifth-wicket stand in SRH’s history.
Both batters notched up half-centuries, with Klaasen reaching his fifty in 33 balls and Reddy in 30, shifting momentum in SRH’s favour. At 123 for 4 after 16 overs, SRH looked set for a formidable total.
However, LSG’s bowlers staged a strong comeback in the death overs. Avesh Khan and his teammates triggered a collapse, picking up crucial wickets and restricting SRH to 156 for 9. Klaasen and Reddy were both dismissed in quick succession, halting the scoring surge as SRH managed only 33 runs in the final four overs.
In response, Aiden Markram provided LSG with a solid start, scoring a fluent 45 off 27 balls. He set the tone early despite a sluggish pitch that made strokeplay difficult.
Wickets, however, fell at regular intervals, keeping the chase tense. Pant, who struggled for fluency initially, held one end together. With 43 runs required off the last five overs, the match hung in the balance.
The equation came down to nine runs needed off the final over bowled by Jaydev Unadkat. Pant rose to the occasion, smashing two boundaries off the first two balls to level the scores. After two dot deliveries, he sealed the victory in style, lofting the ball over mid-off.
Pant’s unbeaten half-century anchored the chase and ensured LSG crossed the finish line with five wickets in hand.
Earlier, Shami’s disciplined spell had laid the foundation for the win, while key contributions from Markram and Pant completed a much-needed victory for LSG in the tournament.
