NEW DELHI: A blistering half-century by Abhishek Sharma, followed by a composed 47 from Heinrich Klaasen, powered Sunrisers Hyderabad to a six-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants, eliminating the latter from the IPL 2025 playoff race on Monday.Lucknow, needing a victory to stay in contention, posted a formidable 205/7 on the back of impressive fifties from Mitchell Marsh (65) and Aiden Markram (61). Despite a strong foundation, LSG lost momentum in the middle overs and suffered a collapse at the death, losing three wickets in the final over. The failure to push beyond 220 cost them dearly.In reply, Sunrisers Hyderabad chased down the 200-plus target at the Ekana Stadium for the first time in IPL history. Abhishek Sharma led the assault with a stunning 59 off just 20 deliveries, reaching his half-century in 18 balls. His explosive innings laid the platform before Klaasen guided the side to 206/4 in 18.2 overs.The defeat pushed LSG down to seventh place in the standings with 10 points from 12 games, while Sunrisers registered their fourth win of the season to reach nine points.

Reacting to LSG’s exit from the playoff race, team owner Sanjiv Goenka shared an emotional note on social media.“It’s been a challenging second half of the season, but there’s much to take heart in. The spirit, the effort, and the moments of excellence give us a lot to build on. Two games remain. Let’s play with pride and finish strong. #LSGvsSRH,” Goenka wrote.Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings have already sealed their playoff berths. The battle for the final spot is now between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals.