“We didn’t have an answer to SRH’s incredible hitting”: LSG consultant Adam Voges

In a post-match reaction that summed up the sentiment of disbelief, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) consultant Adam Voges could hardly find words to describe the battering his team received from Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a staggering IPL 2024 encounter. SRH dominated from the outset, achieving the fastest 10-over score in T20 history by chasing down a target of 166 in just 9.4 overs, securing a 10-wicket victory.

The match featured extraordinary performances from SRH’s Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who blasted their way to fifties in 16 and 19 balls, respectively, setting a record for the highest powerplay score in T20 cricket. Voges acknowledged the sheer scale of SRH’s dominance, saying, “I think we all are in awe a little bit of what we’ve just seen. I think sometimes you’ve gotta tip your hat and say well played to the opposition. That was incredible batting and hitting. We clearly didn’t have an answer.”

While SRH’s batsmen stole the show, Voges reflected on LSG’s inability to exert similar pressure, stating, “I haven’t spoken to the guys yet about whether there was a difference in terms of the innings but clearly our powerplay compared to Sunrisers was at the two extremes. We were put under immense pressure with the ball right from the start. We weren’t able to apply that same pressure with the bat, to begin with.”

Despite the challenging game, Voges highlighted a positive aspect for LSG: the partnership between Ayush Badoni and Nicholas Pooran, who managed a 99-run stand that briefly gave LSG hope of a competitive total. “I thought our backend of the innings was really good. Ayush Badoni and Nicholas Pooran’s partnership got us, it was probably still under par total but it gave us a fighting chance at least. But that obviously was clearly not enough,” he admitted.

The defeat, LSG’s sixth of the season, not only affected their standings, dropping them below Delhi Capitals, but also severely impacted their net run rate.