Abhishek Sharma
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Abhishek Sharma became an instant hero after smashing the fastest fifty in franchise history – a blazing 63 off just 16 balls – against the Mumbai Indians. This knock played a key role in propelling SRH to a record-breaking total.
Elated after receiving the Player of the Match award, Sharma shed light on the factors contributing to his explosive innings, emphasizing the team’s aggressive approach: “The message for the batters is simple, go out and express yourself,” he said. This strategy clearly resonated with Sharma, who elaborated in the post-match presentation:
“As I said previously, domestic season boosts our confidence. The message for the batters is simple, go out and express yourself. The plan was to attack, I really enjoyed batting with Travis Head. He is a great batter and I admire him. He is among my favorite players.”
Lara’s Crucial Pre-Match Advice
But Sharma’s story goes beyond team tactics. He revealed a surprising source of inspiration – a pre-match chat with West Indies legend Brian Lara. “I got an opportunity to discuss some aspects of my game with Brian Lara last night. That helped my game massively,” he said. Here, Sharma highlighted a specific piece of advice that fueled his confidence: “He told me to go for it if it was in my zone.” Lara’s guidance clearly played a part in Sharma’s uninhibited batting display.
All-Rounder Ambitions: Beyond Batting Heroics
Sharma’s ambitions extend beyond just batting heroics. “I am really happy for getting these chances. It doesn’t matter what position I am playing,” he said. However, he offered a glimpse into his future goals, adding: “I would rather bowl more in practice than bat, trying my best with bowling as well.” This statement suggests Sharma’s desire for a more prominent role, not just as a batsman, but as a well-rounded cricketer.
Confidence Soaring, A Talent to Watch
With his confidence boosted by the record-breaking knock and a clear hunger to contribute in all aspects of the game, Sharma is a talent to watch closely as the IPL season progresses. His ability to learn from batting legends and his desire to develop his bowling skills make him an exciting prospect for the future of SRH.
Wonderful Domestic Season
Abhishek has been in a great form in recent seasons. He finished as the second-highest run getter in the 2023-24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with 485 runs at a strike rate of 192. He had a decent IPL 2023, but SRH didn’t gave him that many opportunities to higher up the order. As they focused on Harry Brook and others, Abhishek had to play in the lower order. But, this season he started batting at No.3. Now, he grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
