The decision to bat first after winning the toss backfired for the Lucknow Super Giants as Bhuvneshwar Kumar drew the first couple of blood after outsmarting Quinton de Kock and Marcus Stoinis early to sum up a 27-run powerplay. Krunal Pandya and KL Rahul tried to soak up the pressure but failed to find boundaries barring two sixes by the former off Jaydev Unadkat. The pitch was on the slower side and LSG found their first four after 54 balls in the match before Cummins concluded the skipper’s scratchy 33-ball 29 in the tenth over with the score 57/3. Following eight balls, Krunal Pandya followed back to the hut due to a run out paving the way for Nicholas Pooran and Aayush Badoni to stitch a 50-plus partnership. With the scorecard reading 102/5 in 15 overs, the pair switched gears to 29 runs in the next three overs before Badoni raced to a 28-ball fifty in the 19th over. Eventually, Pat Cummins got a birthday bashing for 19 runs in the last over to see LSG post 165 in 20 overs. 

In reply, the tag team of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma were watchful in the first over before launching the ball around the park in the next five overs. Yash Thakur conceded 17 runs in the second over, followed by Gowtham, Ravi Bishnoi, and Naveen-ul-Haq leaking 22, 17, and 23 runs for the score to read 87/0 in five overs. Head raced to yet another 16-ball fifty and the duo stormed around the park to lead SRH into a 107-run powerplay. The batting fireworks compelled Rahul to opt for Ayush Badoni over Marcus Stoinis or Krunal Pandya for the seventh over, leaving them 40 runs short with 13 overs to go. The pair added 31 runs together with a score of 157/0 in nine overs. Abhishek ended up with a 28-ball 75 and Head ended up with a 30-ball 89 as they chalked down a 166-run target with ten wickets and 68 balls to spare.

Don't know how kl rahul is hearing all this coming in a so very disrespecting way from goenka.



He better shud back out from this team asap and goenka dsnt deserve any of our Indian players. #SRHvLSGpic.twitter.com/f0Sq0pQJre

— gαנαℓ (@Gajal_Dalmia) May 9, 2024

Pathetic Behaviour by team owners of #LSG You don't have bloddy rights to do that shit in front of live telecast #KLRAHUL You deserve to be in a beast franchise

Shame on you Mr Goenka pic.twitter.com/WGDykgAWtq

— Thanos (@father_of_demon) May 9, 2024

Absolute cinema!

I see no difference Travis Head 🥵🥵🔥🔥#OrangeArmy pic.twitter.com/IHPSwOiNgz

— Harsh Singh (@harshsyngh) May 8, 2024

Brilliant with the bat!

Travis head and Abhishek Sharma today pic.twitter.com/ZNsWRhskiJ

— H🐇. (@hp_mode2) May 8, 2024

:O

Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma to LSG bowler's 💥💥



Meanwhile KL Rahul right now 🤣 #IPL2024 #SRHvLSG #KLRahul pic.twitter.com/oemd5wTyVt

— Pandiarajan D (@Stockdominator7) May 8, 2024