Sunrisers Hyderabad’s opener Abhishek Sharma has continued to struggle for runs, landing on another unwanted milestone in T20 cricket. In the IPL 2026 clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), he was sent back for a two-ball duck courtesy of Mohammed Shami, adding to a growing list of ducks across the year. Abhishek’s tally now stands at six ducks in 2026 T20s, matching Rohit Sharma’s six in 2018 and Sanju Samson’s six in 2024 for the joint-highest number of ducks by an Indian batter in a calendar year.
The start to IPL 2026 has been particularly tough for Abhishek. He has managed just 55 runs across three innings, and 48 of those came in his most recent outing versus Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). With form still elusive, each dismissal has only intensified the scrutiny around his early-season performance.
Abhishek’s year: numbers and context
- Out for a two-ball duck vs LSG, bowled by Mohammed Shami
- Six ducks in 2026 T20s, joint-most by an Indian batter in a calendar year
- IPL 2026: 55 runs in three innings; 48 runs came vs KKR in the previous match
- T20 World Cup: 141 runs in eight innings, average 17.62; strike rate above 158; two fifties (one in the final)
- Started the T20 World Cup with three straight ducks
- In 2026 T20s overall: 378 runs in 16 innings; average 25.20; strike rate above 195; four fifties; highest score 84
Abhishek’s difficulties have not been limited to the IPL. In the T20 World Cup, he scored 141 runs from eight innings at an average of 17.62, with a strike rate of over 158. He also produced two half-centuries, including one in the final, but his tournament began with three consecutive ducks, setting the tone for a stop-start campaign.
When the bigger picture is considered, 2026 has largely gone against him. Across 16 T20 innings this year, he has compiled 378 runs at an average of 25.20, striking at a rate above 195. His output includes four fifties, with a best score of 84, but the frequent failures have continued to weigh on his overall impact.
Match 10: team news and setting
LSG won the toss and opted to put Sunrisers Hyderabad into bat first in Match 10 of IPL 2026. The game is being played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, with SRH chasing a turnaround after a mixed start to the season.
Lucknow made a single alteration to their XI, bringing in Manimaran Siddharth for Anrich Nortje. For SRH, who are captained in this match by stand-in skipper Ishan Kishan, there were two changes: Harshal Patel and Liam Livingstone were added to the playing group.
Sunrisers Hyderabad opened their IPL 2026 campaign with a loss to the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the season opener. They later bounced back by beating KKR by 65 runs, but consistency remains an issue as the tournament progresses.
Lucknow, meanwhile, are chasing their first victory of the season. They come into this match after a six-wicket defeat in their previous outing against the Delhi Capitals, and they will be looking for a sharper performance to change their fortunes early in the campaign.
