SRH’s explosive opener Abhishek Sharma clarifies post-match friction with LSG’s Digvesh Rathi after a heated dismissal exchange, says “we spoke after the game.”
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), May 20 — Following a fiery on-field altercation that sparked buzz during Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) six-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), SRH opener Abhishek Sharma has addressed the situation, confirming there are no hard feelings between him and LSG spinner Digvesh Rathi.
“I spoke to him after the game, and it is all good now,” Abhishek said during the post-match presentation, putting to rest the drama surrounding their verbal spat. The friction stemmed from Rathi’s animated “notebook” celebration after dismissing the left-handed opener, who had just played a blistering knock.
Aggression and Redemption on the Field
The heated exchange between the two young cricketers came after Abhishek smashed a 20-ball 59, laced with four boundaries and six massive sixes. His knock played a defining role in SRH’s successful chase of 206 runs and simultaneously eliminated LSG from the playoff race in IPL 2025.
Speaking on his aggressive approach with the bat, Abhishek explained, “If we batted first, I might have had other plans, but chasing such a total, we had a clear plan. You’ve got to win the powerplay to win games like these.”
“I wanted to express myself. If I do well, I know the team will do well. It was the same mindset I had in international cricket — just express myself and knock it around,” he added.
Season in Review: Abhishek Leads SRH’s Batting Charts
Despite SRH’s struggles this season, Abhishek Sharma has emerged as the team’s standout performer. In 12 matches and 11 innings, he has amassed 373 runs at a strike rate of 192.26 — one of the highest in the league — and an average of 33.90. His season includes one century and two fifties, with a highest score of 141.
His blazing form has not only given Hyderabad fans moments to cheer but also solidified his position as a potential future mainstay in Indian cricket.
Match Recap: SRH Spoil LSG’s Playoff Dreams
Opting to bowl first, SRH restricted LSG to 205/7 despite strong knocks from Mitchell Marsh (65) and Aiden Markram (61), who stitched a 115-run opening stand. Nicholas Pooran added a late flourish with a 45-run cameo, but the rest of the batting lineup failed to fire.
For SRH, Eshan Malinga starred with figures of 2/28, while Harshal Patel, Harsh Dubey and Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with a wicket each.
In the chase, Abhishek’s fireworks were complemented by Ishan Kishan’s 35 and a 50-run partnership between Heinrich Klaasen (47) and Kamindu Mendis (32), who carried SRH to the finish line with 10 balls to spare.
Where the Teams Stand
With this win, SRH move to 8th on the table with four wins, seven losses, and one no result — totaling 9 points. LSG, with five wins and seven losses, end their campaign with 10 points and are now out of the playoffs race.