Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], May 19 (ANI): Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) young batting sensation Abhishek Sharma made history on Sunday, becoming the Indian batter with most sixes in a single edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Abhishek accomplished this feat during SRH's last league match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Hyderabad.
During the game, Abhishek smashed 66 in just 28 balls, with five fours and six sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of 235.71.
In this season, Abhishek has smashed 41 sixes, overtaking Virat Kohli's tally of 38 sixes in 2016 IPL for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to have most sixes by an Indian player in a single IPL edition.
He also overtook Heinrich Klaasen's tally of 33 sixes this year and David Warner's (31 sixes in 2016) and Travis Head's (31 sixes in 2024) tally to become the SRH player with most sixes in a single season.
West Indies legend Chris Gayle leads the six-hitting list, with 59 sixes for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2012 season.
Abhishek in 13 innings has scored 467 runs, the ninth most by a batter this season, at an average of 38.91 and a strike rate of 209.41. He scored three half-centuries, with the best score of 75*.
Coming to the match, PBKS won the toss and elected to bat first. A hard-hitting half-century from Prabhsimran Singh (71 in 45 balls, with seven fours and four sixes) and knocks from Rilee Rossouw (49 in 24 balls, with three fours and four sixes) and Atharva Taide (46 in 27 balls, with five fours and two sixes) set the tone for a big total, taking PBKS to 214/5 in their 20 overs.
T Natarajan (2/33) was the pick of the bowlers for SRH.
In the run-chase, after losing Travis Head for a duck, Abhishek Sharma (66 in 28 balls, with five fours and six sixes), Nitish Kumar Reddy (37 in 25 balls, with a four and three sixes) and Heinrich Klaasen (42 in 26 balls, with three fours and two sixes) played fiery knocks to propel SRH to 215/6 in 19.1 overs, winning the game with five balls left.
Arshdeep Singh (2/37) was the pick of the bowlers for PBKS.
Abhishek Sharma was the Player of the Match for his quickfire fifty.
SRH is at number two in the points table, with eight wins, five losses and a no result, with 17 points. PBKS is at the ninth spot with five wins, nine losses and 10 points. (ANI)
