Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka couldn’t hide his emotions after his franchise edged past Sunrisers Hyderabad in a high-pressure IPL 2026 encounter on Sunday. LSG chased 157 with poise, with captain Rishabh Pant finishing unbeaten on 68 to steer the team home with a ball to spare. The triumph also marked LSG’s first win of the season, coming in their second match after an opening defeat to Delhi Capitals.
Goenka’s reaction reflected the swings of the contest. Earlier, he was seen thanking the heavens as LSG’s bowling got off to a strong start. After Pant struck the winning boundary, the owner’s relief was unmistakable, punctuated by an emotional round of applause.
How LSG sealed the chase
- With 9 runs still required in the final over, Pant turned the pressure into authority, striking three boundaries to close out the match.
- As the cameras moved towards Goenka, it was clear how much the moment meant to him and the franchise.
- Pant’s 68* ensured LSG reached 160/5 in 19.5 overs, finishing one ball earlier than the target demanded.
Earlier in the match, LSG benefited from an impressive spell by pace bowler Mohammed Shami, whose sharp work set the tone. Shami produced early breakthroughs by removing the opening pair—Abhishek Sharma for 0 and Travis Head for 7—an important phase that helped keep SRH’s total under control as they ended on 156 for 9.
SRH then steadied their innings through a significant fifth-wicket partnership. Heinrich Klaasen struck 62 off 41 balls, while Nitish Kumar Reddy added 56 off 33, and together they amassed a 116-run stand that lifted the visitors to a competitive score.
In the chase, Aiden Markram made sure SRH remained in the hunt with a 45-ball knock, but Pant’s composure proved decisive. The LSG captain played a calmer, responsible role, resisting the instinct to go for everything at once and instead steering the innings through the key moments.
Brief scores
- Sunrisers Hyderabad: 156/9 in 20 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 62, Nitish Kumar Reddy 56; Mohammed Shami 2/9, Avesh Khan 2/36, Manimaran Siddharth 1/29).
- Lucknow Super Giants: 160/5 in 19.5 overs (Rishabh Pant 68*; Aiden Markram 45; Harsh Dubey 2/18).
