Abhishek Sharma (Source: AP)
Abhishek Sharma delivered a stunning performance when Sunrisers Hyderabad faced Chennai Super Kings in Hyderabad on April 18. The young batter came out with an aggressive approach and dismantled the opposition bowling attack right from the start. His explosive innings included a half-century in just 15 balls, the fastest of his IPL career.
Abhishek scored 59 runs off only 22 deliveries, striking six boundaries and four sixes. His fearless batting laid a strong foundation for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the powerplay.
Although he was eventually dismissed by Jamie Overton but his innings proved to be the turning point of the match between SRH and CSK.
SRH's tournament so far
Sunrisers Hyderabad's campaign this season in IPL 2026 has seen ups and downs so far. They began with a 6-wicket defeat against RCB. However, they bounced back strongly against the Kolkata Knight Riders, registering a dominant win by 65 runs.
SRH then lost a last-ball thriller to Lucknow Super Giants, followed by a 6-wicket defeat to Punjab Kings.
Things improved when they secured a convincing victory over the Rajasthan Royals. With this win against CSK, the team is currently in fourth place on the IPL 2026 points table, with three wins and three defeats.
Abhishek Sharma's guides SRH victory
The match against Chennai Super Kings turned into a nail-biter. Riding on Abhishek’s explosive start and a solid contribution from Heinrich Klaasen, SRH posted 194 for 9 in their 20 overs. In reply, Chennai Super Kings seemed well-placed at one stage but lost momentum in the latter half of the innings.
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They failed to chase down 84 runs in the final 10 overs, eventually falling short by just 10 runs. The bowlers held their nerve under pressure, with Eshan Malinga leading the attack and picking up three crucial wickets.
Abhishek Sharma creates massive record
While the victory itself was significant, Abhishek Sharma’s record-breaking achievement stole the spotlight. With this innings, he became the first player in history to score six half-centuries in T20 cricket in fewer than 20 balls.
This is a remarkable milestone, especially considering that no other batter has even reached five such innings.
Moreover, this was not a one-off performance; it marked the fourth time in his T20 career that he had reached a half-century in 15 balls or fewer, another record unmatched by any other player.
Other records Abhishek created
Fastest 50s for SRH in the IPL (By Balls):
- 15 – Abhishek Sharma vs CSK, Hyderabad, 2026
- 16 – Abhishek Sharma vs MI, Hyderabad, 2024
- 16 – Travis Head vs DC, Delhi, 2024
- 16 – Travis Head vs LSG, Hyderabad, 2024
- 17 – Heinrich Klaasen vs KKR, Delhi, 2025
Fastest to 2000 IPL Runs (By Balls):
- 1120 - Andre Russell
- 1192 - Abhishek Sharma
- 1198 - Nicholas Pooran
- 1211 - Virender Sehwag
- 1251 - Chris Gayle
- 1306 - Rishabh Pant
Abhishek Sharma has played 6 matches and scored 188 runs at an average of 31.33 and a strike rate of 229.26 in the ongoing IPL 2026. It is important to mention that SRH will next face Delhi Capitals on April 21, with the match to be played at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
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