LSG vs SRH IPL 2025: In Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) must-win encounter, tempers flared after spinner Digvesh Singh Rathi gave Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) opener Abhishek Sharma his signature notebook send-off. The on-field umpires and players had to intervene as Abhishek was clearly miffed with Rathi and the two exchanged some words.
After SRH beat LSG by six wickets, during the customary handshake, Abhishek had a conversation with the home side's assistant coach Vijay Dahiya. Then, he talked to Rathi as well. Before the post-match presentation, the two players were seen together with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajiv Shukla talking to them.
The incident took place in the eighth over as Rathi got the better of Abhishek. The opener was caught at sweeper cover fielder by Shardul Thakur as he could not pick the googly. He departed after hitting six sixes and four fours in his 20-ball 59 which set the tone for SRH in the run chase. When he departed, SRH were already ahead of the run chase with 100 runs on the board in the eighth over.
Once again, Rathi was LSG's standout bowler. He conceded 37 runs from his quota of four overs and got two wickets including Ishan Kishan who got bowled trying to play a reverse-sweep.
Abhishek douses the flames
As SRH became the first team to chase down a 200-plus target at the venue and knocked out LSG from IPL 2025 playoffs race, Abhishek was named 'Player of the match' for his whirlwind fifty. He confirmed that there is no animosity between the two now.
"I spoke to him after the game and it is all good now," Abhishek said. " If we batted first, I might have had other plans but chasing such a total we had a clear plan. If you ask any player who has been doing well for the team, chasing 200 plus something you should be able to win the powerplay. I wanted to express myself and if I do well, I know the team is gonna do well as well. It was the same plan I had in international cricket as well. Just express myself and knock it around."