Abhishek Sharma lit up IPL 2025 with a sensational knock on Saturday, hammering 141 off just 55 balls to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad to a stunning eight-wicket win over Punjab Kings.
The 24-year-old left-hander’s innings is now the highest individual score by an Indian in IPL history and the third-best overall, behind only Chris Gayle (175*) and Brendon McCullum (158*). He reached his century in just 40 balls and celebrated by punching the air and holding up a note that read, “This one for the Orange Army.”
But it wasn’t just the runs that had fans talking. It was the way Abhishek calmly took singles on 98 and 99 that caught the attention of his mentor, Yuvraj Singh.
“Wah Sharma ji ke bete! 98 pe single phir 99 pe single! Itni maturity hazam nahi ho rahi (Wow! A single on 98 and then a single on 99! Can’t handle this level of maturity),” Yuvraj joked on X, staying true to his trademark wit.
Wah sharma ji ke bete ! 98 pe single phir 99 pe single ! Itni maturity ha am nahi ho rahi 🤪 ! Great knock @IamAbhiSharma4 well played @TravisHead24 these openers are a treat to watch together ! #SRHvsPBKS @IPL well played @ShreyasIyer15 great to watch aswell
— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) April 12, 2025
Abhishek later gave a shoutout to Yuvraj during the post-match presentation, calling him a key influence in his growth as a T20 player. “Special mention to Yuvi paaji, I’ve been talking to him,” he said. He also credited India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav for offering valuable advice.
Chasing a massive 246, Hyderabad’s opening duo of Abhishek and Travis Head (66) put on a season-high 171-run stand. Their brutal partnership helped SRH pull off the second-highest chase in IPL history, just behind Punjab’s 262-run record against Kolkata last season.
Punjab had earlier posted 245-6, thanks to Shreyas Iyer’s 82 and a late 34-run push from Marcus Stoinis. But their effort was overshadowed by Abhishek’s fireworks, which helped Hyderabad climb off the bottom of the table with their second win in six matches.
Abhishek’s knock was full of power and control. He reached 50 in just 19 balls and never looked back, tearing apart Punjab’s bowling attack on a night that firmly announced his arrival as one of the league’s most dangerous openers.
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