Abhishek Sharma produced one of the most dominant knocks of IPL 2026, smashing an unbeaten 135 off 68 balls to power Sunrisers Hyderabad to a commanding 47-run win over Delhi Capitals. On a placid Uppal surface, Abhishek dismantled a listless DC attack, striking 10 sixes and as many boundaries as SRH piled up a massive 242 for 2. He set the tone early alongside Travis Head, adding 97 for the opening wicket despite the latter not being at his fluent best. Skipper Ishan Kishan then accelerated with a brisk 25 off 13, stitching a 79-run stand in just 5.5 overs. Towards the end, Heinrich Klaasen provided the finishing flourish with a quickfire 37* off 13 balls. Reflecting on his innings, Abhishek said the team had a clear plan to attack the powerplay but had to quickly reassess conditions. “The way we started, I felt we had a plan… but the wicket was a bit slow, so we had to re-plan it again. I just wanted to utilise the powerplay and entertain the crowd,” he said, adding that judging a par score wasn’t easy until the innings progressed. The left-hander also credited the environment within the SRH setup for allowing him to play freely. “You have to have the backing from the captain and coach… that is very important. The environment in Sunrisers in 2024 was a game-changer. It felt like they wanted to grow the youngsters,” he explained, pointing out that such freedom has helped him express himself consistently. Delhi’s tactics, however, raised plenty of questions. The decision to persist with part-time off-spinner Nitish Rana backfired badly as he conceded 55 runs in his four overs, with left-handers targeting him repeatedly. More puzzling was the underutilisation of frontline spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, who bowled only two overs each despite the onslaught. The game slipped away decisively in the middle phase, where SRH hammered 116 runs between overs 7 and 15. Despite a strong start in the powerplay, DC had no answers once Abhishek shifted gears. In reply, Delhi looked comfortable at 107 for 1 before a dramatic collapse. Eshan Malinga (4/32) and Sakib Hussain (1/29) used clever variations to dismantle the middle order, reducing DC to 107 for 4. They never recovered from that slide and eventually finished on 195 for 9. For Abhishek, the knock carried emotional significance as well. “My parents are here… it’s a very special moment. My sister is missing today because she had some infection. So this is for you as well,” he said, while also explaining his celebration as a gesture of love for the fans who have backed the team throughout. He also revealed how his father continues to influence his game even now. “Since U12 days, my dad has been sitting next to the screen… even when I am at the non-striker’s end, he keeps giving me instructions. It actually helps me,” Abhishek added with a smile. With this emphatic win, SRH climbed to third on the points table, and Abhishek’s breathtaking innings not only headlined the result but also underlined his growing stature as one of the most destructive batters in the tournament.
