Sunrisers Hyderabad’s explosive batter Abhishek Sharma, fresh off a record-shattering hundred against Delhi Capitals, said his and Travis Head’s original intention was to press early with intent. However, he admitted that a sluggish pitch forced them to rethink and shift gears throughout the innings. Sharma added that with the surface playing slowly, it was hard to judge what a “par” score could look like before both teams had batted, making adaptability even more important. He also highlighted how crucial backing from the captain, coaches and the wider team set-up has been for his freedom at the crease, remarking that he plays the way he does for Punjab and that Punjabi players also thrive when they’re allowed to express themselves without excessive caution.
On Tuesday, in IPL 2026, Sharma produced another standout performance as SRH welcomed Delhi Capitals. He reached his second IPL century in sensational fashion, taking just 47 deliveries to bring up three figures. His innings featured 9 boundaries and 10 towering sixes, a blend of timing and raw power that kept the pressure on the visiting bowling attack from the outset. When the innings ended, he remained unbeaten on 135 off 68 balls, helping Sunrisers Hyderabad post a commanding 242/2 in their full quota of 20 overs. It was his second century in the tournament.
After the match, Sharma explained how the opening overs shaped the plan. He said SRH started with a clear idea—Head and he wanted to make maximum use of the powerplay—but once the wicket proved slow, they had to adjust and develop alternate phases of batting. He also stressed that without the benefit of the second innings, no one can truly know the par target in advance. Sharma praised the team’s leadership and support staff for giving him the space to take risks, noting that confidence from the captain and coach is essential to play freely. He further pointed out that the management environment from 2024 acted as a turning point for him, adding that he has always wanted to bat in this aggressive, expressive manner.
Sharma’s century also earned him the Player of the Match award. It was his seventh POTM in 81 IPL games, the highest number of such awards by an Indian player for SRH, moving past Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s tally of six Player of the Match awards across 145 matches. With this knock, Abhishek also reached nine T20 centuries overall, drawing level with Virat Kohli among Indian batters. In the broader all-time list, Chris Gayle continues to lead with 22 T20 centuries, followed by Babar Azam with 12 and David Warner with 10. Sharma has now joined the group that includes Quinton de Kock, Rilee Rossouw and Sahibzada Farhan.
SRH captain Ishan Kishan praised Abhishek for the quality of his innings and also applauded Heinrich Klaasen for finishing strongly when the chase pressure could have swung. Kishan said the team’s focus is to approach each contest on its own merit, playing with the conditions in mind rather than relying on rigid templates. He noted that the responsibility is to understand match-ups and read the ball as it comes, and that SRH’s method is essentially to take things one game at a time. Kishan also spoke about the way support and partnerships can help key phases click, saying that when Harsh is involved, he delivers with smart execution—something that ultimately paid off.
With Delhi Capitals facing a huge target, SRH defended 243 and sealed the game with authority. Eshan Malinga spearheaded the bowling effort, producing a brilliant four-wicket haul that dismantled DC’s chase and secured a convincing 47-run win for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
