Abhishek Sharma roared back into form with a breathtaking 141 off just 55 balls, eclipsing Shreyas Iyer’s fireworks with the bat, as Sunrisers Hyderabad chased down a mammoth 246 to script the second-highest successful run chase in Indian Premier League (IPL) history, sealing a resounding eight-wicket win over Punjab Kings in a high-scoring affair on Saturday.
Sharma’s blitzkrieg – the highest score by an Indian batter in IPL history – snapped SRH’s four-match losing streak, as the Hyderabad-based franchise hunted down the target in just 18.3 overs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Opting to bat, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer smashed a 36-ball 82, hammering six sixes and six boundaries, propelling his side to an imposing 245 for six, despite a four-wicket haul from Harshal Patel (4/42).
But all of Iyer’s heroics were soon overshadowed.
Sharma, who had endured a lean patch thus far this season, was dropped once and caught off a no-ball in the fourth over—reprieves that would prove costly. The southpaw proceeded to pulverise the Punjab bowling line-up with 10 sixes and 14 boundaries, displaying both finesse and brute force.
Partnering with Travis Head, who struck a fluent 66 off 37 balls (3x6, 9x4), Sharma shared a 171-run opening stand that laid the foundation for the historic chase. Head provided early momentum before Sharma took over, reaching his half-century in just 19 balls.
“Abhishek was simply unstoppable. He batted on a different pitch,” PBKS skipper Iyer admitted after the match.
The 24-year-old from Punjab tore into the attack from the outset. Marco Jansen conceded four boundaries in his opening over, while Yash Thakur was dispatched for two sixes and a four as SRH galloped to 60 runs inside four overs.
Glenn Maxwell was greeted with a six and a four, and Yuzvendra Chahal endured further misery – first dropping Sharma off his own bowling, then watching him clear the ropes into the mid-wicket stands.
By the halfway mark, SRH had stormed to 143 without loss, with Sharma launching another assault in the 10th over—clubbing Jansen for two sixes and two fours.
Chahal finally provided a breakthrough in the 13th over, removing Head. But Sharma soon brought up his maiden IPL century in 40 balls, celebrating the milestone by pulling out a piece of white paper from his pocket—its contents unknown, but the intent clear.
With 60 runs needed from the final six overs, Sharma continued the onslaught. Chahal was clouted for two more sixes and a four, while Thakur and Arshdeep Singh faced similar fates.
Though Arshdeep eventually dismissed Sharma in the 17th over, the damage had been done. Heinrich Klaasen (21*) and Ishan Kishan (9*) completed the formalities with ease.
Earlier, Punjab Kings had set a daunting target on a flat track. Openers Priyansh Arya (36) and Prabhsimran Singh (42) raced to a 66-run stand in quick time. Prabhsimran smacked Mohammed Shami (0/75) for three early boundaries, while Priyansh took on Pat Cummins (0/40).
Shami came in for further punishment from Priyansh, who struck two sixes and a four in one over. Prabhsimran then lifted one for a maximum, pushing PBKS to 89 for one in the powerplay.
Harshal Patel provided SRH their first breakthrough by deceiving Priyansh with a slower ball. He could have had Prabhsimran as well, but Sharma spilled a sharp chance. Iyer, unfazed, ended the powerplay with a towering six.
IPL debutant Eshan Malinga (2/45) dismissed Prabhsimran, but Iyer and Nehal Wadhera (22) kept the scoreboard ticking with a 73-run stand. Iyer tore into the bowling, smashing Zeeshan Ansari and Shami for sixes and innovative shots, reaching his fifty in style.
Punjab then suffered a minor collapse. Malinga bowled Wadhera and Harshal dismissed Shashank Singh (2) via DRS, before returning to remove both Iyer and Maxwell in the 18th over.
Marcus Stoinis then ensured PBKS had a flourish at the end, hammering four consecutive sixes off Shami in the final over to take his side past the 240-mark. But even that wasn’t enough to contain Abhishek Sharma and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
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