Sunrisers Hyderabad are facing an uncomfortable stretch in IPL 2026, with the franchise already having dropped two of their opening three matches. Their batting unit, which has often been among the most talked-about in the tournament, has not delivered consistently yet, leaving them to chase games from difficult positions. The pressure only intensified after their most recent defeat against Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday.
SRH’s collapse and LSG’s response
- SRH began their chase for a competitive total in the worst possible fashion, slipping to 26/4 within 7.1 overs.
- Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen then steadied the innings with fifties, rebuilding enough momentum for SRH to reach 156/9.
- In reply, Lucknow captain Rishabh Pant carried his side with a knock of 68 not out off 50 balls, keeping the chase on track.
- LSG successfully chased down the 157-run target in 19.5 overs, finishing just one ball short of the last over.
- The winning moment came as Pant struck Jaydev Unadkat for a boundary to bring up the required runs.
- As the ball was travelling, Avesh Khan—after the shot—appeared to hit it back into the ground, prompting debate over whether it should have been treated as a dead ball.
There was an immediate wave of discussion on social media, with some fans arguing that Avesh’s action warranted a dead-ball call. However, match replays indicated there was no nearby fielder and that the incident did not involve obstructing play.
Potential complaint and earlier dispute claims
Despite the replay clarity, reports have suggested Sunrisers may still consider writing to the BCCI regarding the incident, along with a couple of other matters that have reportedly left the franchise dissatisfied. The concerns being discussed include how Heinrich Klaasen was dismissed in SRH’s first game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru—where he was reportedly ruled caught at the boundary line by Phil Salt off Romario Shepherd. Sunrisers are also said to be unhappy with Abhishek Sharma’s dismissal in their second match against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on April 2. Additionally, there are claims that questions have been raised about Varun Chakravarthy’s catch taken off Blessing Muzarabani at deep square leg.
