LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka spotted praying from stands as team dismantles SRH in Hyderabad

Published - 05 Apr 2026, 17:31 IST | Updated - 05 Apr 2026, 18:07 IST

Lucknow Super Giants are facing Sunrisers Hyderabad in an all-important clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium during Match 10 of the Indian Premier League 2026. As the visitors looked in dominant form in the first innings, bowling first, team owner Sanjiv Goenka was seen praying from the stands at the venue.

Goenka was carrying a paper in his hands, and while Lucknow scalped the first four wickets while giving away only 26 runs, the owner seemed to be in a happy mood and was seen in a thankful gesture that his prayers were eventually listened to.

LSG Owner Sanjiv Goenka in the stands.

Mohammed Shami sent the openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head packing in the first two overs that he bowled. Later, Prince Yadav rattled through the defence of skipper Ishan Kishan. In the eighth over, Digvesh Rathi got hold of Liam Livingstone as LSG captain Rishabh Pant completed a sharp catch behind the stumps.

[WATCH] Pant's one-handed stunner to dismiss Livingstone

Pace bowler Avesh Khan also bowled exceptional overs during the death, accounting for a couple of wickets. Eventually, SRH were restricted to 156-9 at the end of the first innings, and Avesh believes that this is more than a chaseable total on a wicket that offers some assistance to the batters, if they take time to settle in.

"We have restricted them. The batters were set in the middle overs, so they got away, but we pulled it back in the end. It was a sticky wicket early on and then eased up; the ball reversed at the death, which helped us. I practise, see what balls I can execute – yorker, wide yorker, slower bouncer – I mix them up and try to make it unpredictable for the batter," Avesh said on air after the first innings.

LSG now need 157 runs to get off the mark in their IPL 2026 campaign. They'd be hoping for a comfortable run chase, with Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh opening a formidable batting unit that also consists of Pant, Nicholas Pooran and Ayush Badoni.