Abhishek Sharma extends Indian charge in IPL 2026 en route to second hundred; SRH opener reaches milestone in 47 balls

Abhishek Sharma extended the Indian domination in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) after Sunrisers Hyderabad opener's 47-ball hundred against Delhi Capitals on Tuesday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. It was Abhishek's second IPL hundred for the franchise after scoring his maiden at this very ground in IPL 2025 against Punjab Kings.

With this ton, Abhishek became the third Indian to score a hundred in IPL 2026 following his India national team teammates Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson for Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings respectively. Mumbai Indians' South African recruit Quinton de Kock had also scored one. Sent into bat first, Abhishek and Travis Head started slowly initially.

However, the deadly duo started to open the arms from the third over and dispatched each and every bowler all around the park. In fact, the left-handed Indian opener took just 25 balls to reach his fifty. He completed his second in just 22 balls, thus equalling with Virat Kohli on nine T20 hundreds.

Abhishek's ninth T20 hundred came in his 184th innings, the third quickest only after West Indies' Chris Gayle’s 124 innings and Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan’s 160 innings. The first hundred in IPL 2026 came from Samson, when he slammed an unbeaten 115 against Delhi Capitals.

List of hundreds in IPL 2026

De Kock scored the second - a 112 not out against Punjab, but in a losing encounter. The third came from another Mumbai Indians batter Tilak, who scored a match-winning 101 not out against Gujarat Titans.

Records galore for Abhishek Sharma

In the end, Abhishek finished at 135 not out in 68 balls, studded with 10 fours and same number of sixes. With this score, the Indian southpaw became the batter with most 130-plus scores in T20 cricket. Abhishek now had four scores of 130-plus in the shortest format, followed by Australia's Aaron Finch and Gayle, both having three to their names.

This is also the second time, Abhishek smashed 10 sixes in an innings in IPL and only the second after Gayle's four. Overall, Gayle holds the record of 10-plus sixes in a T20 innings, followed by Abhishek (five) and West Indies' Evin Lewis and Indian Shreyas Iyer (both having four each).

Records galore for Abhishek Sharma

In the end, Abhishek finished at 135 not out in 68 balls, studded with 10 fours and same number of sixes. With this score, the Indian southpaw became the batter with most 130-plus scores in T20 cricket. Abhishek now had four scores of 130-plus in the shortest format, followed by Australia's Aaron Finch and Gayle, both having three to their names.

This is also the second time, Abhishek smashed 10 sixes in an innings in IPL and only the second after Gayle's four. Overall, Gayle holds the record of 10-plus sixes in a T20 innings, followed by Abhishek (five) and West Indies' Evin Lewis and Indian Shreyas Iyer (both having four each).

Abhishek Sharma powers SRH to 242/2

Riding on Abhishek's unbeaten hundred, SRH reached a mammoth 242/2 in 20 overs. Along with Head (37), Abhishek put on 97 runs in just 8.5 overs to set the platform for the rest of the batting lineup to come. Captain Ishan Kishan was unlucky to be run out at the non-striker's end, before Abhishek joined hands with Heinrich Klaasen (37 not out in 13 balls) to forge an unbeaten 66 runs for the third wicket in just 32 deliveries.

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