 "IPL 2025: LSG crash out of playoff race, MI vs DC on 21 May turns into virtual quarterfinal")
Lucknow Super Giants are officially out of the IPL 2025 playoff race after a tough six-wicket loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday night at the Ekana Stadium. It was a do-or-die match for LSG, but SRH, who are already eliminated, came out with a strong performance to spoil their hopes.
LSG knocked out of IPL 2025 playoffs
Abhishek Sharma was the star of the night with a stunning 59 off just 20 balls. He smashed six sixes, including four in a row off Ravi Bishnoi, to give SRH a flying start while chasing a big total of 206. With regular opener Travis Head not playing due to illness, Abhishek stepped up and set the tone in the powerplay.
Mitchell Marsh (65 off 39) and Aiden Markram (61 off 38) earlier played superb knocks to help LSG post 205/7. But the total wasn’t enough as SRH chased it down comfortably with Heinrich Klaasen (47) and Kamindu Mendis (32) finishing the job for the side.
It was yet another disappointing outing for LSG captain Rishabh Pant, who scored just 7 runs and has struggled throughout the season despite being the most expensive player in the history of the league. LSG’s campaign has now ended in disappointment with two matches to go.
MI vs DC clash turns into virtual quarterfinal
Meanwhile, this result has made the upcoming Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals clash on 21 May a virtual quarterfinal. MI are currently 4th on the points table with 14 points, and DC are right behind them with 13. The winner of that match will have a strong chance to make it to the playoffs.
Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings have already qualified for the playoffs. They are now playing to decide who will take the top two spots and secure the Qualifier 1 match.
Delhi Capitals are currently going through a rough patch and need to bounce back quickly if they want to grab the last remaining playoff spot. Led by Axar Patel, DC had a strong start to the season with back-to-back wins, but a slump in the middle has now left them in a tight spot.
Mumbai Indians, meanwhile, have staged an impressive turnaround after losing four of their first five games. They found form just in time and have looked like serious playoff contenders. Although they lost their last match to GT, MI will be hoping to move past that setback and build on the momentum from their recent winning run.
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