Lucknow Super Giants speedster Akash Singh became a talking point on Friday for reasons beyond his bowling. In what was his debut appearance for LSG in IPL 2026, he made an immediate statement against Chennai Super Kings, striking in his very first over by removing CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. He then kept the pressure on, following up with the wickets of Sanju Samson and Urvil Patel to finish with a memorable three-wicket haul, while his on-field celebration added extra colour to the moment.
After taking his third wicket, Akash revealed a small paper note as part of his celebration. The message read: “#Akki on fire – Akash knows how to take wickets in T20 game.” The gesture quickly drew attention from supporters and cameras, becoming the latest version of a trend that has been spreading across the league in recent seasons.
Not everyone was impressed, though. Former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn reacted on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after the incident, choosing not to single out any individual but making it clear that he felt celebrations like this were losing their meaning. “Time to put the papers away. It ain’t trending anymore. Actually, to be honest, it never really was,” Steyn wrote, adding: “Time to put the papers away. It ain’t trending no more. Actually, to be honest, never really was.”
The paper-note celebration first caught the wider IPL spotlight in 2025, when Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Abhishek Sharma produced a note after reaching a century against Punjab Kings. His message said: “This one is for Orange Army.” Earlier this season, Mumbai Indians bowler Raghu Sharma also used a similar approach after taking his first wicket against LSG, marking the moment with a note of his own. Even before Friday’s game, CSK youngster Urvil Patel had joined the trend by unveiling a paper after posting a half-century versus LSG, with the note reading: “This is for you, Papa.”
Back to the match, Lucknow’s win over Chennai was emphatic, sealing a seven-wicket victory and further complicating CSK’s path to the playoffs. After the Super Kings put up 187 for five, powered by Kartik Sharma’s composed 71, the chase demanded more than just momentum—it required accuracy and control on a surface that offered only a modest amount of help to batters.
However, the Super Giants’ chase started with real authority. Mitchell Marsh struck at the right moments and, alongside Josh Inglis—who made 36 off 31 balls—he put together a 135-run opening partnership that effectively overwhelmed the pitch and exposed some wayward bowling from CSK. Marsh finished with 90 as the target was chased down comfortably, leaving Chennai with little to celebrate beyond their earlier batting platform.
With the result, Chennai remain stuck on 12 points from their 12 matches. Their situation now looks extremely difficult: they need to win both of their remaining games and also depend on other results going their way if they are to keep their playoffs hopes alive.
