Avesh Khan controversy explained: Early celebration sparks debate as LSG beat SRH in last-over thriller
Published - 06 Apr 2026, 11:55 AM | Updated - 06 Apr 2026, 01:05 PM
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) secured a victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 10th match of the ongoing IPL season. LSG skipper Rishabh Pant smashed the winning boundary in the final over, but an unusual celebration from fast bowler Avesh Khan near the boundary line sparked controversy.
Pant anchored the run chase with an unbeaten 68. Lucknow Super Giants chased a target of 157 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday, April 5. On the penultimate delivery, the southpaw smashed a boundary, but Avesh Khan began celebrating early before the ball reached the boundary line.
Avesh Khan’s Early Celebration Sparks Controversy Over Possible Ball Interference
Avesh Khan was near the boundary rope, wearing his batting pads. Before the ball crossed the line, he struck it with his bat while celebrating the win. Arshin Kulkarni raised his hands in disbelief after this action. Fans felt that Avesh had interfered with the live ball.
According to cricket laws, interference by a non-fielder can lead to a dead-ball call and a five-run penalty. If the umpires had awarded the penalty, Lucknow Super Giants would have needed six runs from two balls. Sunrisers Hyderabad did not make any appeal regarding the incident.
OVER THE IN-FIELD! 😍
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 5, 2026
Captain Rishabh Pant guides the chase and finishes it off in style 🤌@LucknowIPL off the mark on the points table +2️⃣
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/qC2rF1Hiiz#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #SRHvLSG pic.twitter.com/SEDFsub4UD
Did Avesh Khan Flout Cricket Rules?
Avesh Khan did not break the rules. Law 19 states that the ball becomes dead immediately after crossing the boundary rope or landing beyond it. Since the shot cleared the mid-off fielder and traveled directly outside the boundary, the umpires treated it as a boundary.
Umpires award a five-run penalty under Law 41 only when a player commits unfair play intended to deceive or obstruct the opposition. Avesh hitting the ball near the dugout did not stop any SRH fielder from preventing the boundary. Therefore, the umpires correctly ignored the early celebration.
Some analysts and fans felt that applying the rule could have changed the situation, as LSG might have needed more runs to win.
Sunrisers Hyderabad Set 156-Run Target
Lucknow Super Giants bowled well early in the match. Rishabh Pant won the toss and chose to field. Mohammed Shami dismissed Abhishek Sharma for a duck and Travis Head for seven runs. Prince Yadav bowled Ishan Kishan for one run. Liam Livingstone scored 14 runs off 20 deliveries.
Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy rescued the Sunrisers Hyderabad innings with a 116-run partnership. Klaasen scored 62 runs off 41 balls. Nitish Kumar Reddy made 56 runs before M Siddharth dismissed him. Avesh Khan took two crucial wickets in the nineteenth over.
Sunrisers Hyderabad finished their innings at 156/9. During the chase, Aiden Markram scored 45 runs off 27 deliveries. Mitchell Marsh contributed 14 runs. Rishabh Pant guided Lucknow Super Giants to victory with one ball remaining on Sunday.
Pant scored an unbeaten 68 off 50 balls, including nine boundaries. Mohammed Shami was named Player of the Match for his bowling. He conceded just 9 runs in his four-over spell.
Also read: RCB take dig at MS Dhoni with ‘wicket ke piche’ post after Jitesh Sharma’s stunning catch
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Sai Vaitla is an author at Cricketaddictor and he has been working since September 2022. Sai Vaitla...
