Abhishek Sharma’s difficult run of form continued in Indian Premier League 2026 as the Sunrisers Hyderabad opener joined an unwanted list alongside Rohit Sharma and Sanju Samson for the most ducks by an Indian batter in a calendar year in T20 cricket.
During SRH’s match against Lucknow Super Giants, Abhishek was dismissed for a two-ball duck by Mohammed Shami. It marked his sixth duck of 2026, equalling the record held by Rohit (six ducks in 2018) and Samson (six in 2024).
The left-hander has endured a quiet start to the season, managing just 55 runs in three innings so far, with 48 of those coming in the previous match against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Abhishek, currently ranked world No. 1 in T20Is, also had a mixed campaign at the T20 World Cup earlier this year. He scored 141 runs in eight innings at an average of 17.62, albeit at a strike rate exceeding 158, with two half-centuries, including one in the final. However, his tournament began on a worrying note with three successive ducks.
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Overall, 2026 has been a lean year for the opener, who has accumulated 378 runs in 16 T20 innings at an average of 25.20, though maintaining an aggressive strike rate of over 195, with four fifties and a highest score of 84.
Meanwhile, Lucknow Super Giants opted to bowl first after winning the toss in match 10 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The visitors made one change, bringing in Manimaran Siddharth in place of Anrich Nortje.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by stand-in captain Ishan Kishan, made two changes, handing opportunities to Harshal Patel and Liam Livingstone.
SRH began their campaign with a defeat against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru before bouncing back with a 65-run win over KKR. LSG, on the other hand, are still searching for their first win after a six-wicket loss to Delhi Capitals.
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