Mohammed Shami delivered a statement performance for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2026 on Sunday, sending a clear message to Indian selectors with a spell that looked too sharp to ignore. Against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the fast bowler produced a near-flawless four-over burst, conceding only 9 runs and claiming two wickets, including key strikes to keep the hosts from gaining control.
Shami’s impact and India selection question
Shami’s outing stood out not just for the figures, but for the rhythm he bowled with. In his four overs, he registered 18 dot balls and removed Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, both of whom were central to Hyderabad’s early momentum.
- Shami conceded 9 runs in four overs
- He took two wickets
- He bowled 18 dot balls
- The wickets included Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head
The knock arrives at a significant time for the India fast-bowling picture. Shami has not featured for the national team since the Champions Trophy 2025. Despite a strong run of form in domestic cricket, he was left out of consideration for selection during the series against South Africa and New Zealand, and was also not picked for the subsequent T20 World Cup.
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s fightback to 156/9
After Lucknow opted to field, Sunrisers Hyderabad endured a brutal beginning as the visitors’ seam attack sliced through the top order. However, a superb counterattacking partnership between Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy completely changed the tone of the innings, ultimately steering SRH to 156/9 in 20 overs.
How the chase unfolded: wickets, turning points, and recovery
Lucknow struck immediately. In the opening over, Shami dismissed Abhishek Sharma for a duck, using a clever slower delivery that found an edge to short third. He then added another major breakthrough when Travis Head miscued a slower ball to mid-off, leaving Hyderabad in trouble early.
The pressure worsened further when Prince Yadav produced a sharp inswinger that cleanly removed Ishan Kishan. Hyderabad were reduced to 11/3 inside four overs, and the innings continued to wobble under regular wicket pressure.
- Abhishek Sharma fell for 0 after a slower ball from Shami in the first over
- Travis Head was dismissed after miscued contact to mid-off
- Ishan Kishan was bowled by Prince Yadav’s inswinger, leaving SRH at 11/3 within four overs
Liam Livingstone offered a brief jolt by striking a six down the ground, but it did not last. Digvesh Rathi, the leg-spinner, induced a mistimed paddle, and the ball was taken brilliantly by captain Rishabh Pant behind the stumps. By the 10-over mark, Hyderabad were at 35/4, sliding towards one of their weaker first-half totals in IPL history.
That is where the rescue began. Klaasen and Nitish joined forces and stitched a remarkable recovery. They started with careful rebuilding, then gradually shifted gears as boundaries started to come more often. Nitish led the counterattack with powerful pulls and lofted drives, while Klaasen picked out gaps with crisp strokeplay.
After the halfway stage, the partnership gathered real momentum. Klaasen struck Avesh Khan for four consecutive boundaries in the 14th over to turn the tide, and Nitish punished the spinners with towering sixes over long-on and deep extra cover.
- Klaasen hit four straight boundaries off Avesh Khan in the 14th over
- Nitish launched towering sixes over long-on and deep extra cover
- The pair’s recovery lifted SRH from 35/4 to a position of strength
The duo put together a century stand that transformed Hyderabad’s innings. Klaasen reached his fifty off 33 balls, while Nitish moved to his half-century soon after. Their 116-run partnership for the fifth wicket was also the highest for Hyderabad at that stage in the IPL, taking SRH from 35/4 to a far more competitive total.
Lucknow then struck back decisively in the death overs. Manimaran Siddharth ended the stand by having Nitish caught in the deep for 56 off 33 balls, an innings featuring three fours and five sixes. Klaasen soon followed—attempting a reverse shot against Avesh Khan, he edged the ball to Pant for a well-made 62 off 41 deliveries.
Avesh added further damage with two wickets in consecutive balls, and Prince Yadav wrapped up the tail with a precise yorker. A run-out in the final over provided an extra blow to Hyderabad’s chances of finishing strongly.
- Nitish was dismissed by Siddharth for 56 (33 balls), with three fours and five sixes
- Klaasen was out soon after for 62 (41 balls) after edging a reverse attempt to Pant
- Avesh took two wickets in back-to-back deliveries
- Prince Yadav finished the tail with a yorker
- A run-out in the final over further dented SRH’s finish
Even with the late collapse, Klaasen and Nitish’s counterattacking effort ensured Hyderabad recovered from the brink and posted a total that remained challenging—156/9 in 20 overs.
