Hyderabad: Opener Abhishek Sharma scored an impressive unbeaten 135 from 68 balls as Sunrisers Hyderabad reached 242 for 2 and secured a 47-run victory over Delhi Capitals in Match 31 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad.
The left-hander's innings was a lesson in controlled aggression. He reached his fifty in just 25 balls and got his ninth T20 hundred in 47 balls, pacing the innings well before launching a fierce attack. By the 15-over mark, he moved ahead of Heinrich Klaasen in the Orange Cap race, highlighting his dominance this season.
SRH started their innings steadily but quickly gained momentum. Delhi briefly regained some control with Nitish Rana's offspin during the Power-play, allowing just six runs while SRH scored 15 for no loss after two overs. However, the strategy backfired once the batters found their rhythm. When Rana returned after SRH reached 36 for no loss in four overs, he was taken apart in a 20-run over with three sixes, pushing the score to 56 without loss.
Abhishek led the way, scoring 21 off 12 and dominating the attack along with Travis Head. The two put together another smooth partnership in the Power-play, taking SRH to 67 for no loss. The final ball of this phase marked the team's 70th six of the season, surpassing Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s total of 69.
Head, who began cautiously, accelerated to 37 off 26 before getting out at 97 for 1 in 8.5 overs. He mis-hit a long hop from Axar Patel to deep midwicket after hitting two sixes in the over. However, this breakthrough did not slow SRH.
Ishan Kishan added a quick 25 off 13 before being run out at the non-striker’s end, bringing Klaasen to the crease at a key moment. The South African finished the innings with a powerful 37 off just 13 balls, helping SRH easily exceed the 240-mark.
In the middle overs, Kuldeep Yadav struggled as SRH raced to 126 for 1 in 11 overs, with Abhishek and Kishan attacking aggressively. Even though conditions looked perfect for reverse swing on a dry pitch, Delhi’s seamers, including Mukesh Kumar, could not find any movement, allowing SRH to take control.
‘Can’t carry the fear of failure’: IshanNew Delhi: Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Ishan Kishan credited mindset and clarity of thought as the defining factors behind his team’s dominant run in IPL 2026, following their emphatic 47-run victory over Delhi Capitals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. SRH rode on a sensational unbeaten 135 from Abhishek Sharma to post a daunting 242/2, before producing a disciplined effort with the ball to seal their third consecutive win and climb to third on the points table. Speaking after the match, Kishan underlined how mental strength and consistency in approach have been central to SRH’s resurgence this season. “At this level, skill sets are quite similar. The real difference comes from mindset. For me, it was about improving how I reset between games, whether after a good performance or a bad one. Staying focused, hungry, and mentally present is key. You can’t carry the fear of failure, if that thought comes in, you have to overcome it and stay positive. Over time, that awareness grows, and you start understanding your game better. It’s about learning from your experiences but making sure you don’t repeat the same mistakes,” he told JioStar. |
