LUCKNOW - Opener Abhishek Sharma struck 59 off 20 balls as Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Lucknow Super Giants by six wickets on Monday to end their opponents' chances of reaching the IPL playoffs.
Chasing 206 for victory, Abhishek set up the chase with his blitz laced with four fours and six sixes as Hyderabad achieved the target with 10 balls to spare in Lucknow.
Abhishek departed in the eighth over before Heinrich Klaasen, who hit 47, and Kamindu Mendis, who retired hurt on 32, guided the team to the brink of victory with their fourth-wicket partnership of 55.
Lucknow became the fifth team to bow out of the play-off contention, leaving five-time champions Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals to battle for one remaining spot.
"Definitely it could have been one of our best seasons but coming into the tournament we had a lot of gaps, injuries," said disappointed Lucknow skipper Rishabh Pant.
"As a team we decided to not talk about that but it became difficult to fill those gaps."
Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are already through to the playoffs starting May 29.
It was a consolation win for Hyderabad, who were already out of the playoffs although captain Pat Cummins said the win "gives (us) a lot of confidence for next year".
The left-handed Abhishek took on the attack after he lost his opening partner Atharva Taide, who became New Zealand quick Will O'Rourke's first wicket on his IPL debut.
Abhishek hit five sixes, including three in succession off Ravi Bishnoi, to reach his fifty in 18 balls and followed it up with another hit over the fence.
Leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi cut short Abhishek's knock and Hyderabad lost another left-hander Ishan Kishan on 35 before South Africa's Klaasen and Sri Lankan left-hander Mendis controlled the chase.
Shardul Thakur denied Klaasen his fifty and Mendis hobbled off with a foot injury before Nitish Reddy and Aniket Verma sealed the win.