IPL 2026 this season has seen several unique celebrations, but the increasingly popular ‘paper note holiday’ trend has now drawn criticism. The debate escalated during the high-tension clash Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK)LSG pacer here Akash Singh produced a handwritten note after rejecting his third beating of the evening.
Although the celebration spread rapidly on social media platforms, Dale Steyn he seemed far from impressed. The legendary fast bowler took to social media platform X and made his views on the trend clear, saying that the gimmick has already run its course.
Dale Steyn reacts strongly to IPL’s paper record celebration
Without naming any player or franchise directly, Steyn shared a scathing post criticizing the reuse of paper records in the tournament. The post was an instant hit among cricket fans, especially as paper note-taking has become a recurring feature in the IPL over the past two seasons. What started as a sincere gesture has now turned into a trend copied by several players across the franchise.
It’s time to put the papers down.
It’s not a trend anymore.Actually, to be honest, it never was.
— Dale Stein (@DaleSteyn62) May 15, 2026
The holiday trend first became popular last season Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) the opener Abhishek Sharma revealed the dedication note “Orange Army” after scoring a century. Since then, several players have copied the gesture in various matches.
Akash Singh’s celebration during the LSG vs CSK clash draws attention
The latest example happened during the IPL 2026 contest between LSG and CSK in Lucknow on Friday. Akash, who played the first game of the season, showed the desired performance with the ball. The left-arm pacer dismissed the CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad before removing it over the first one Sanju Samson and Urvil Patel To complete an unforgettable three-door hunt.
After taking the third door, Akash took out a paper note that read “#Akki is on fire – Akash knows how to take wickets in T20.” Akash further clarified that the gesture was purely personal and meant to motivate himself and not any message to critics or opponents.
LSG outclassed CSK in crucial IPL 2026 clash
Meanwhile, LSG registered a seven-wicket win over CSK in the competition. Chennai posted a competitive 187/5, powered mainly by by Karthik Sharma He scored 71 runs. But LSG opens Mitchell Marsh and Josh English completely demolished the chase with an amazing 135 run partnership. Marsh hit a breathtaking 90 off 90 balls while Inglis’ 36 helped Lucknow comfortably chase down the target with 20 balls to spare.
The defeat severely dented CSK’s playoff aspirations, leaving them stuck with 12 points from 12 games. The five-time champions now need a win in the remaining matches and favorable results elsewhere to stay alive in the IPL 2026 play-off race.
Also READ: Here’s how CSK can still qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs after losing to LSG in Lucknow
