Abhishek Sharma, Digvesh Rathi clash escalates after the match; SRH batter slapped, Rajeev Shukla takes charge
The drama unfolded when Digvesh Rathi pulled off his usual notebook celebration after dismissing Abhishek Sharma during the LSG-SRH match in Lucknow
Despite the high-scoring, thrilling encounter between Lucknow Super Giants and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Ekana Stadium, where LSG fell out of contention to make the IPL 2025 playoffs, much of the attention revolved around Lucknow spinner Digvesh Rathi and SRH batter Abhishek Sharma. The mid-match duel escalated even after the match, forcing BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla to take matters into his own hands.
The drama unfolded when Rathi pulled off his usual notebook celebration after dismissing Abhishek, who smashed 59 off 20 balls. The fiery send-off did not sit well with the Sunrisers opener, who exploded at the sight, hurling a mouthful at Rathi, thus sparking a heated altercation, before umpires and teammates intervened.
The episode, however, did not end there. During the post-match handshake between the two teams, Abhishek was stopped by LSG assistant coach Vijay Dahiya, who had a small chat with the India T20I batter. Abhishek and Rathi shook hands but kept going at each other verbally. However, just as the discussion looked to be getting intense again, Dahiya walked in from behind and slapped Abhishek, albeit casually.
Later, Shukla became a mediator after the match and was spotted discussing the matter with both Abhishek and Rathi.
'It's all good now...'
After his match-winning show in Lucknow that helped Sunrisers beat Lucknow, Abhishek spoke on his on-field altercation with Rathi and said that both players talked after the game, and it is all good.
Speaking after the match in the post-match presentation, "I spoke to him after the game, and it is all good now (on his altercation with Digvesh)."
Abhishek smashed six maximums and four boundaries in his blazing 20-ball knock that set up the six-wicket win for Sunrisers, only their fourth win this season.
Expanding on his batting, he added, "If we batted first, I might have had other plans, but chasing such a total, we had a clear plan. If you ask any player who has been doing well for the team, chasing 200-plus something you should be able to win the powerplay. I wanted to express myself, and if I do well, I know the team is gonna do well as well. It was the same plan I had in international cricket as well. Just express myself and knock it around."
Abhishek has been SRH's top run-getter this season with 373 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 192.26. He has scored a century and two fifties, with the best score of 141.
