Akash Singh with his viral note celebration. (IPL photo)
NEW DELHI: Akash Singh lit up IPL 2026 with ball and emotion on Friday, producing a memorable three-wicket spell – 3/26 in 4 overs – for Lucknow Super Giants against Chennai Super Kings before explaining the remark that turned his celebration viral.In his first match of the season, the left-arm pacer struck three times and dismissed Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanja Samson and Urvil Patel. After each goal, he pulled out a folded figure from his pocket and flashed it around the stadium, creating curiosity.WATCH:“It motivates me during the game”Akash later revealed that there was no hidden message – it was simply self-motivation.“I know I speak well and people tell me that too. But honestly, it’s about the environment you create around you. I spend my time understanding how champions think and how hard champions work,” Akash said during a mid-innings interview.He added that the note contained words intended to boost his own self-esteem.“On that note, I wrote things like ‘Akki knows how to take wickets in T20 cricket’. It just motivates me during the game. Sometimes these things work, sometimes they don’t, but if something helps me stay motivated and helps me perform better, then I’m willing to do it,” said Akash.The celebration reflected the emotions of a player who, after waiting all season, finally got his chance.‘You Should Come To Rule’Akash said his mindset was based on attacking the biggest names.“My mindset is always about taking big wickets because when you come to the IPL, you shouldn’t just come to play – you should come to dominate,” he said.The 24-year-old said his preparation was as much about skill as mentality.“You have to stay one step ahead in terms of skill, but at the same time a lot depends on the mental side. If you don’t dominate this game mentally, you can’t keep moving forward,” he added.Having not featured for the entire season, Akash said the performance was a reward for perseverance.“When you don’t play regularly in the IPL, you have to keep pushing yourself. I worked hard during the season and even the off-season,” he concluded.
