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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!
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.
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!
Shardul Thakur (3-0-25-0) is back on. He replaces Avesh Khan. But, surprisingly, Will O'Rourke, who still has a couple of overs to spare, has been kept out of attack.
Strategic Break! Well, it's a pretty straightforward equation for SRH as they need just 27 off 24 deliveries, a tinge above run-a-ball from here, with seven wickets safe in the bank. Lucknow Super Giants are right on the cusp of getting eliminated, unless they pull off an absolute heist from this position. But with the likes of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Aniket Verma yet to come out to bat, and these two internationals glued at the crease, it is possibly the writing on the wall for LSG. Akash Deep is brought back into the attack now. He is 2-0-25-0 so far and replaces Shardul Thakur.
Kamindu Mendis is the new batter in.
The physio rushes out from the SRH camp to tend to Ishan Kishan for the mandatory concussion test. He looks fine to continue.
Digvesh probably has been given a breather after that heated verbal tussle with Sharma. He is replaced by Avesh Khan (1-0-14-0).
Aiden Markram replaces Ravi Bishnoi.
Heinrich Klaasen walks in at 4 now.
Strategic Break. Phew, take a breather, shall we? Barring that one blip towards the beginning of the chase, Sunrisers Hyderabad have looked like a runaway train so far. Abhishek Sharma has treated us with some colossal hits and has already notched up an 18-ball fifty, looking unstoppable. Ishan Kishan has provided steady support from the other end, and this partnership is threatening LSG massively. Frustrations loom large for skipper Pant, as none of their bowlers so far have bowled with conviction, and to make their case worse, they have bowled a bit too many extras as well. It's all about getting Abhishek Sharma back into the dugout, or else, it will be an early finish here, as we have seen this man finishing games like a one-man army. To break the stand, Digvesh Singh is back on. Went for six in his first over.
Ravi Bishnoi is into the attack now and he replaces his fellow leggie, Digvesh Singh.
Double change? Yes, Avesh Khan to bowl the final over of the Powerplay.
Digvesh Singh comes on to bowl now.
Halt! A lot of confusion in the middle. There's an appeal for caught behind which is turned down. Rishabh Pant has a long think about it but doesn't review it as he sees Ishan Kishan reviewing it for a wide. Now, there is some confusion as Kishan hasn't actually gone for the wide review. In the end, it is a review by LSG for caught behind and the third umpire is called in. Nothing on UltraEdge and the ball didn't brush the thigh pad either. The third umpire deems it a WIDE!
Ishan Kishan walks in at number 3.
Debutant, Will O'Rourke to operate from the other end.