Abhishek Sharma One of the most dominant innings of IPL 2026, an unbeaten 135 off 68 balls powered Sunrisers Hyderabad to a commanding 47-run win over Delhi Capitals. On a quiet apple surface, Abhishek 10 sixes and maximum boundaries SRH scored 242 runs for the loss of 2 wickets. Travis HeadDespite the latter not being at his best with his fluency, he added 97 for the opening wicket. The captain Ishan Kishan Then a quick 25 in 13, a stand of 79 in just 5.5 overs. Towards the end Heinrich Klassen Boosted the finishing with 37* off 13 balls. Reflecting on his innings, Abhishek said the team had a clear plan to attack the powerplay but had to assess the situation quickly. “The way we started, I thought we had a plan… but the wicket was a bit slow, so we had to re-plan it. I just wanted to use the powerplay and entertain the crowd,” he said, adding that it was not easy to check the level score until the innings went on. The left-hander also credited the environment within the SRH set-up for allowing him to play freely. “You have to have the support of the captain and the coach… that’s very important. The atmosphere at Sunrisers in 2024 was a game-changer. It felt like they wanted to develop the youth,” he said, explaining that such freedom has helped him continue to express himself. However, Delhi’s strategy raised many questions. The decision to stick with part-time off-spinner Nitish Rana backfired badly as he conceded 55 runs in his four overs, with left-handers repeatedly targeting him. Most troubling was the underutilization of frontline spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, who bowled just two overs despite the onslaught. The game slipped decisively in the middle stages, where SRH scored 116 runs between 7 and 15 overs. Despite a strong start in the powerplay, DC had no answer after Abhishek shifted gears. In reply, Delhi looked comfortable at 107 for 1 before collapsing dramatically. Ishan Malinga (4/32) and Saqib Hussain (1/29) used clever variations to dismantle the middle order, reducing DC to 107 for 4. They never recovered from this slide and eventually ended at 195 for 9. For Abhishek, this knock also had an emotional significance. “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 too,” he said, describing his celebration as an expression of love for the fans who have supported the entire team. He also revealed how his father still continues to influence his game. “Since the U12 days, my father 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 resounding win, SRH moved up to third on the points table, and Abhishek’s enthralling innings not only headlined the result but also underscored his growing stature as one of the most destructive batsmen in the tournament.
