Well then, another exciting game wraps up as we march toward the final stages of this IPL season. Sunrisers Hyderabad have officially ended Lucknow Super Giants’ playoff hopes, shifting the spotlight to the next contest. Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, both eliminated, now face off at Arun Jaitley Stadium. With RR playing their final match of the season, they'll be keen to finish on a high, while CSK, currently at the bottom, still have a couple of games left to restore some pride. Beyond the immediate result, both teams will look to refine their combinations with an eye on next season, ensuring this clash is anything but a dead rubber. The action gets underway at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT) on Tuesday, May 20. Stay with us for all the pre-match analysis and buildup. Until then, take care and cheers!

SRH's Abhishek Sharma is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his match-winning knock of 59 off just 20 balls. He collects the award is walks to chat. On that incident with Digvesh, he begins by saying that everything is sorted out as they spoke after the game. Says that he would have had other plans it they batted first, but while chasing a total of 206, it was about making good use of the Powerplay. Says that he and Athatva had a chat that if they get their first ball in the arc, they will make smoke it out of the ground. Further adds if you ask any player with international experience in the last decade, they will say you should win the Powerplay first while chasing something above 200. Says he tried to express himself. On being an experienced player in the team now, he says it gives him an extra edge to take some more responsibility. 

The victorious captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Pat Cummins, is up for a chat. He starts by saying that 205 was a bit more than they would have liked, but it could have been 220 at one stage, so it is fine. On Eshan Malinga, Cummins says that he has worked with the coaches throughout the season and has done well. Adds that when they are at their best with the bat, it doesn't look like they are taking risks and probably could have done it a few more times this season. Mentions that they want to end the season well and a place like Bengaluru offers a different challenge, so we might see a few others get an opportunity.

Time for the Presentation Ceremony...

It is time to hear from the Head Coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Daniel Vettori. He points out that it is a bit tough to get back after an extended break. Adds that the team had 3 good training sessions, and then pulling off a performance like this is fantastic. Mentions that Abhishek Sharma has been incredible and they are used to that kind of batting from him. Says that he was exceptional tonight against spin and his strike rate was out of this world. Adds that the development of the players, certain players step up sometimes, but it has been a difficult season for us. Stats that they are looking to give some game time to some players, and Kamindu and Eshan, two Sri Lankan boys, were exceptional tonight. He thinks that it's more about understanding the conditions, and they wanted Travis Head and Abhishek to go out there and play aggressive cricket. Says that you need to give credit to the bowling side as well and he wouldn't want to change the style rather adapt to the conditions quickly. Informs that Travis Head is in quarantine and he is good to go for the next 2 games.

The captain of Lucknow Super Giants, Rishabh Pant, says that it could have been one of their best seasons, but with all the injuries they had to begin with, it started to get difficult to close the gaps. Adds that the way they planned at the auction, they didn't have the same bowling attack during the tournament, which could have made a difference, but they want to look at the positives and at the future. Reckons that they have enough firepower in batting and even the bowlers bowled well in patches. On defending 205, Rishabh says that they were 10 runs short and just weren't able to use the momentum in their favor, which was the case for the tournament as well. On Digvesh Singh, he says that as a bowler, he has come up trumps in his first season, but as a team, they need to keep improving with time.

Earlier in the game, LSG’s openers wasted no time stamping their authority. Mitchell Marsh capitalized on a couple of lifelines to craft a commanding half-century, while Aiden Markram played with fearless intent, bringing up his own fifty. Their 115-run partnership set a solid foundation, but SRH clawed back with a couple of quick breakthroughs in the middle overs. Just as the innings seemed to taper, Nicholas Pooran's explosive 45 off 26 reignited the charge. However, the defining blow came in the final over, where Nitish Kumar Reddy’s expensive 20-run spell propelled LSG past the 200-run mark, which wasn't adequate enough in the end. For SRH, debutant Harsh Dubey showed promise, while Eshan Malinga impressed with a crucial two-wicket haul.

SRH did lose Ishan Kishan after a composed 41-run stand with Klaasen, but what worked in their favor was the measured approach from the incoming batters. There was no rush, no reckless strokes, just calculated batting that ensured stability. Kamindu Mendis and Klaasen played their roles seamlessly, keeping the innings on track as SRH cruised with ease. Meanwhile, LSG didn’t do themselves any favors, looking a bit lackadaisical in the field and also leaking too many extras, further tilting the game in SRH’s favor.

SRH remained in control as Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma dictated the chase with fearless intent, their stroke play crisp and commanding. Just as the momentum seemed unstoppable, Digvesh Singh provided a crucial breakthrough, dismissing Sharma. However, SRH quickly moved into a phase of consolidation, with Kishan joined by Klaasen. The two formed a responsible stand and dashed off any collapse as more than half the runs were already chewed towards the halfway mark.

The Sunrisers’ chase kicked off with a stutter as Atharva Taide, their Impact Player, departed early. But any hopes LSG had of tightening their grip were quickly dashed. Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma unleashed an attacking masterclass, keeping the bowlers guessing and refusing to let them settle. Sharma was particularly ruthless, making full use of the Powerplay as SRH raced to 72/1 in six overs, outpacing LSG early on.

A massive heartbreak for Lucknow Super Giants at their backyard as they are now eliminated from the playoff race. To be fair, it never looked like they could pull off this game and defend their total. They become the fifth team to get knocked out of the season, which means the fight for the fourth spot will be between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians, who will play against each other on Wednesday, 21st May. Sunrisers Hyderabad, on the other hand, never looked even remotely threatened in the chase and they have made quite a habit of chasing totals north of 200, even in the season which hasn't gone their way.

Will O'Rourke to bowl the penultimate over. He is 2-0-26-1 so far, with SRH needing just 5 off 12 balls.

Halt! Right after completing the run, Kamindu Mendis holds his thigh as he has pulled off the hamstring of his right leg. The physio is out in no time to check him up. Kamindu, for now, is on the ground and is being helped with some stretching. Meanwhile, a detailed discussion is going around in the LSG camp, as a few players, including skipper Pant and Nicholas Pooran, converge towards the bowler. Uh, oh! Kamindu Mendis is being taken off the field now. He is limping and struggling to walk. As it stands, he is retired hurt. Nitish Kumar Reddy walks out to bat now.

At this pace, it looks like SRH will probably get this done before the last over...

Aniket Verma is in next.

A review for caught behind! Rishabh Pant looks a bit tentative to review it, but the umpires send it upstairs to check whether the ball bumped off the bat. The UltraEdge shows a clear spike and the ball hasn't bumped off the ground as it has carried straight to the keeper. OUT!