Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India] - On May 20, following a significant victory against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins expressed his admiration for young Sri Lankan bowler Eshan Malinga, labeling him as a "valuable asset" to the team.

Malinga's impressive two-wicket performance stood out as SRH thwarted LSG's playoff ambitions. With strong contributions from Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen, SRH successfully chased down the target of 206 runs set by LSG, marking the hosts' seventh defeat of the season.

In the post-match interview, Cummins remarked, "We gave away a few more runs than we intended. The pitch was good, but we were confident in our chase. Eshan Malinga has proven to be a tremendous asset for us, showcasing excellent execution throughout the match."

He further noted, "We know our potential when we perform at our best, though there are lessons to be learned from this game."

This season, Malinga has emerged as a key player for SRH, claiming eight wickets in five matches with an average of 21.25 and an economy rate of 8.94, achieving best figures of 2/28.

In the match, SRH won the toss and chose to field first. Markram and Marsh contributed half-centuries, establishing a solid 115-run partnership for the opening wicket. Aside from Pooran, who managed to score later, the rest of the LSG batting lineup struggled, finishing at 205/7 after 20 overs.

Eshan Malinga was the standout bowler for SRH, taking 2/28, while Harshal Patel, Harsh Dubey, and Nitish Kumar Reddy each claimed one wicket. LSG needed to defend their total of 206 runs to maintain their playoff hopes.

During the chase, Abhishek Sharma's explosive 59 off just 20 balls, featuring four boundaries and six sixes, alongside Ishan Kishan's 35 off 28 balls, formed an 82-run partnership for the second wicket. Contributions from Heinrich Klaasen (47 off 28 balls) and Kamindu Mendis (32 off 21 balls) further propelled SRH to victory with four wickets remaining and 10 balls to spare.

With this win, SRH currently sits in eighth place with four victories, seven losses, and one no result, totaling nine points. Although they have been eliminated from playoff contention, they have effectively ended LSG's chances as well, leaving LSG in seventh place with five wins and seven losses, totaling 10 points.