Abhishek Sharma Shines with Record-Breaking Century in IPL 2026

In a thrilling match, Abhishek Sharma of Sunrisers Hyderabad scored a record-breaking century against Delhi Capitals, leading his team to a 47-run victory. His explosive innings included 135 runs off 68 balls, showcasing his power-hitting skills. Sharma's performance not only earned him the Player of the Match award but also tied him with Virat Kohli for the most T20 centuries among Indian players. SRH captain Ishan Kishan praised Sharma's efforts and emphasized the team's focus on adapting to match conditions. This victory marks a significant moment in IPL 2026, highlighting Sharma's exceptional talent and the team's strategic gameplay.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 22, 2026, 01:51 IST

Abhishek Sharma's Stellar Performance

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 22: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) star batsman Abhishek Sharma, after achieving a remarkable century against Delhi Capitals (DC), shared that he and teammate Travis Head intended to start aggressively but had to modify their strategy due to the sluggish pitch conditions.

Sharma highlighted the challenge of determining a competitive score in such conditions and expressed gratitude for the backing from the captain, coaches, and management, which has allowed him to play with confidence and freedom. He remarked, "I play this way for Punjab, and Punjabi players enjoy playing freely."

In a stunning display of power-hitting, Sharma recorded his second-highest score in the Indian Premier League (IPL) during the match against Delhi Capitals.

On Tuesday, he achieved his second IPL century in just 47 balls, hitting 9 fours and 10 sixes, finishing with an impressive 135 runs off 68 balls. This performance helped Sunrisers Hyderabad set a formidable total of 242/2 in their 20 overs.

Sharma reflected on the match, stating, "We had a plan to utilize the power play, but the wicket was slow, necessitating adjustments. The par score is often unclear until both teams have batted. I owe a lot to the coaches and captain for giving me the freedom to express myself. The management in 2024 was pivotal for my game. I’ve always wanted to play this way, and it’s how I play for Punjab, where we value freedom in our batting style."

For his exceptional innings, Sharma was named Player of the Match, marking his seventh such award in 81 games, the highest for an Indian player in SRH history, surpassing Bhuvneshwar Kumar's six awards in 145 matches.

With this innings, Abhishek now has nine T20 centuries, tying him with Virat Kohli among Indian batsmen. In the all-time rankings, Chris Gayle leads with 22 centuries, followed by Babar Azam with 12 and David Warner with 10. Abhishek joins a notable group that includes Quinton de Kock, Rilee Rossouw, and Sahibzada Farhan.

SRH captain Ishan Kishan praised Sharma's remarkable innings and commended Heinrich Klaasen for his strong finish. He emphasized the team's focus on taking each match as it comes and adapting to the conditions rather than adhering to strict plans.

Kishan stated, "What can I say about Abhishek's batting and Klaasen's finish? All credit goes to Abhishek. Our approach is to take it match by match. Everyone in our team enjoys hitting, but we must adapt to the conditions. We don't have a rigid plan; we just watch the ball and play accordingly. I wanted to maximize the runs per ball ratio, and it worked out well with Harsh."

In defending a massive total of 243, Eshan Malinga delivered an outstanding performance, taking four wickets and leading Sunrisers Hyderabad to a convincing 47-run victory over Delhi Capitals.