Abhishek Sharma provided an early spark at the top for Sunrisers Hyderabad as they took on Punjab Kings in IPL 2026 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Coming out with intent in a match that quickly turned into a run-fest, the left-handed batter smashed a rapid cameo that immediately lifted the tempo for SRH.
Sharma struck 35 runs off just 13 deliveries, finding the boundary ropes twice and clearing the fence four times. He wasted no time getting started, launching Arshdeep Singh for a six off the second ball of the innings. In the very next over, he challenged Marco Jansen and added two more maximums, before also sending Lockie Ferguson for another big hit. His fearless streak finally ended when he went for yet another lofted shot and was caught by Shreyas Iyer, bringing a quick end to his cameo.
Even with the short stay, Abhishek reached a notable milestone. He became only the sixth batter in the world to complete 300 T20 sixes while playing in India. The benchmark in this category continues to be driven by Rohit Sharma, who tops the list with a comfortable lead.
Most T20 sixes in India:
- Rohit Sharma — 32 matches, 864 runs, 738 sixes
- Chris Gayle — 136 matches, 484 runs, 1357 sixes
- Virat Kohli — 29 matches, 10,083 runs, 348 sixes
- Sanju Samson — 27 matches, 5736 runs, 3337 sixes
- Suryakumar Yadav — 27 matches, 7142 runs, 2317 sixes
- Abhishek Sharma — 15 matches, 4722 runs, 302 sixes
SRH’s innings gathered even more force thanks to Heinrich Klaasen and Ishan Kishan, who made the most of a few fielding lapses to drive the scoreboard to 235 for four. Klaasen, after being dropped early on when he was on nine, went on to play a commanding knock of 69 off 43 balls. His innings included three fours and four sixes, showing a blend of control and acceleration.
Ishan Kishan, meanwhile, benefited from fortune as well, surviving both a dropped catch and a missed stumping before settling into his rhythm. He finished with 55 off 32 deliveries, striking two boundaries and hitting four sixes. Together, the pair kept SRH firmly on top through the middle overs and beyond, ensuring Punjab struggled to regain control.
For Punjab, Yuzvendra Chahal stood out as the most effective option with figures of 1/32. However, his impact was blunted by wayward fielding and missed chances. Multiple dropped opportunities and a missed stumping—both tied to his bowling—left him visibly frustrated as SRH capitalised and went on to post a commanding total.
