Sunrisers Hyderabad batter Abhishek Sharma found himself at the centre of an off-field controversy after an incident at the team hotel. Following SRH’s match against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on Saturday, a clip circulated online showing a fan forcibly grabbing and pulling his hand when she spotted him. Even with security personnel nearby, Abhishek appeared visibly upset, and the episode quickly turned into a security-breach debate among supporters.
Quick facts
- Player involved: Abhishek Sharma (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
- Where the viral incident happened: Jaipur, at the team hotel
- Context: After the match versus Rajasthan Royals on Saturday
- Online reaction: Many fans alleged a lapse in security
- Fan’s response: A reply posted on Instagram by the account “moreofhimshikha”
Now, the fan-girl featured in the viral footage has responded publicly. On her Instagram page “moreofhimshikha”, she shared a video alongside a caption in which she suggested that the moment escalated because her “jiju” was not going along politely, prompting her to do what she did. Her post aimed to frame the interaction as something misunderstood rather than a deliberate act.
After the backlash, she returned to Instagram to explain her version of events. She wrote that she wanted to clarify what truly happened from her side and stressed that situations are not always reflected accurately in viral clips. In her account, she said she was at the venue when Abhishek arrived and went to see him because she has been a follower of his for a long time, even before he became widely known.
She added that her intention was simply to shake his hand, but the crowd was dense. According to her, in the confusion while trying to adjust and make space, she accidentally grabbed his hand instead of properly greeting him. She also said the incident unfolded quickly, and once it became awkward she became nervous.
In her explanation, she noted that her brother pulled her back immediately after the moment went wrong. She said she recorded the video and shared it because the incident felt meaningful to her personally, adding that she did not anticipate it would go viral or be interpreted in the harsh way it was. The fan’s response, however, has not ended the disagreement online, with opinions still divided on what security arrangements should have prevented.
On-field impact: Abhishek’s IPL form
While the off-field debate played out online, Abhishek’s batting on the day provided the main sporting talking point. He smashed his third IPL half-century of 2026 to steer Sunrisers Hyderabad to a win over Rajasthan Royals in a high-scoring Jaipur contest. His innings was 57 off 29 balls, featuring 11 fours and a six, at a strike rate of above 196.
During the knock, Abhishek overtook New Zealand batter Kane Williamson to become SRH’s third-highest run-scorer. Across 82 matches and 79 innings, he has compiled 2,133 runs at an average of 29.21 and a strike rate of 169.28, including two centuries and two fifties, with a highest score of 141*. Williamson’s tally, which he surpassed, stood at 2,101 runs in 76 matches and 75 innings, at an average of 36.22 and a strike rate over 126, with 18 fifties and a best of 89*.
