Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Apr 13: In a night that will be remembered as one of the most electrifying in IPL history, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) pulled off the second-highest successful run chase in the tournament’s history, hunting down 245 with remarkable ease to defeat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by eight wickets at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday.
The star of the night was Abhishek Sharma, who lit up the stadium with a stunning, career-best 141 off 55 balls, registering the highest individual score by an Indian in IPL history, surpassing KL Rahul’s 132. His blistering knock was perfectly complemented by Travis Head, who played the ideal supporting role with a composed 66.
Earlier, PBKS put up a daunting 245/6 after being sent in to bat. Shreyas Iyer’s explosive 82 and a fiery finish from Marcus Stoinis, who smashed four consecutive sixes in the final over to finish unbeaten on 34 off 11, set the stage for what seemed like a certain win. Prabhsimran Singh’s attacking 42 also set the tone early in the innings.
Despite the daunting target, SRH came out all guns blazing. The opening pair of Abhishek and Head launched an all-out assault on the PBKS bowlers. Abhishek, who hadn’t hit a single six in the tournament until now, unleashed a barrage of boundaries and sixes, announcing his arrival in spectacular fashion.
With calculated aggression, Head rotated the strike and found gaps effortlessly, as the duo stitched a 100-run partnership well before the innings' halfway mark. By the time Head was dismissed for a fluent 66, SRH had already tilted the game heavily in their favour.
Abhishek’s century came off just 40 deliveries the fifth-fastest in IPL history and was celebrated with a heartfelt gesture to the home crowd as he pulled out a note reading, “This one is for the Orange Army.” The message summed up an innings that was not only match-defining but season-altering.
PBKS’s bowling lineup looked hapless in the face of the onslaught. Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal managed a wicket apiece, but nothing could stem the run flow. Harshal Patel was the lone bright spot for SRH’s bowlers earlier, taking 4 for 42 amidst the carnage.
For a team that had lost four matches in a row, SRH’s chase was more than just a win it was a thunderous declaration of intent. Abhishek Sharma’s heroics, laced with style, power, and precision, might just be the turning point in their campaign.
Brief scores:
Punjab Kings 245/6 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 82, Prabhsimran Singh 42, Marcus Stoinis 34*; Harshal Patel 4-42, Eshan Malinga 2-45)
lost to
Sunrisers Hyderabad 247/2 in 18.3 overs (Abhishek Sharma 141, Travis Head 66; Arshdeep Singh 1-37, Yuzvendra Chahal 1-56)
by 8 wickets.