Lucknow Super Giants registered their first win in IPL 2026 on 5 April. They secured a 5-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Captain Rishabh Pant led from the front with an unbeaten 68 to guide his team to the target with one ball to spare. However, the match ended with a controversial moment involving Avesh Khan.
As Pant ended the game in style with a boundary, Avesh appeared to hit the ball before it crossed the boundary in celebration.
This raised questions around ICC rules. Any hit by an outfielder may result in a dead ball and a 5 run penalty. Nevertheless, the referees did not intervene on the field and the penalty was not awarded.
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Some analysts and fans argued that if the rule had been applied, the situation in the match could have changed. LSG might need more runs to win.
Earlier, Avesh played a key role in the match picking 2 key wickets including Heinrich Klaasen in the 19th over.
Avesh Khan’s action sparked a debate on social media. While some thought LSG should have been penalized, others think it was a clear line.
Many online users referred to ICC Law 20.1 (Dead Ball) and Law 41 (Unfair Play). Interference by an outfielder may result in a 5-run penalty for the opposing team.
“Why is Avesh Khan so annoying? First he broke his helmet, then he hit the ball with his bat even though it didn’t reach the boundary. Umpire should ban him for one match or umpire should hit a dead ball,” the social media user wrote.
“Need to calm down in situations like this. Always create some scenes out of thin air but as a viewer I want fights to happen so disappointed SRH didn’t fight for it,” another user wrote.
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“This was ridiculous from Avesh Khan; this was not needed. What if SRH appeals this? What if the umpire calls it a dead ball?” another user commented.
Another user wrote: “Most likely 4 hi dete but using the bat was pointless. Most subs take the ball before it reaches the boundary line and pass it to the main fielders so dead ball toh nhi hota.”
“It was 4 and they knew the match was over. So I don’t think anyone would have raised any objections,” chimed in another.
Another user criticized Khan: “Such clowns shouldn’t be banned for 1 game but for the whole season.”
SRH vs LSG: What happened in yesterday’s match?
LSG bowlers reduced SRH’s problem early by dismissing Abhishek Sharma for a duck and Travis Head for 7.
Heinrich Klaasen (62) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (56) were the key contributors for Hyderabad. The duo added 116 runs for the 5th wicket which helped SRH recover from early setbacks.
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Despite a strong partnership, SRH lost momentum in the final overs. SRH posted 156/9.
In response, LSG started steadily with Aiden Markram and Mitch Marsh contributing early runs. However, it was Pant who anchored the chase with a calm and controlled innings. He ensured LSG stayed on track despite losing wickets at intervals.
