Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Abhishek Sharma revealed that the now-viral “This one is for Orange Army” note was penned on the morning of his record-breaking knock against Punjab Kings. Known for his habit of journaling every morning, Abhishek said he had a strong feeling that April 12 might just be his day. That hunch turned prophetic as he smashed a stunning 141 off 55 balls — the highest individual score in IPL history — to guide SRH to a morale-boosting win.
“There was nothing pre-planned,” Abhishek Sharma clarified in the post-match press conference. “I just woke up and wrote it down. I had a random thought that if something special happens today, it’ll be for the Orange Army. Thankfully, it turned out to be one of those days.”
His teammate Travis Head earlier shared that Abhishek had been carrying the note since the first match, but the southpaw cleared the air, saying it was spontaneous.
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The innings was even more impressive considering the 23-year-old had been unwell in the days leading up to the match. “I had a fever for four days, wasn’t feeling great. But Yuvraj Singh and Suryakumar Yadav kept calling and motivating me. Their belief in me meant a lot,” he said.
Mother’s blessings ✨
Hyderabad’s joy 😇Abhishek Sharma’s whirlwind night to remember 🧡
Describe his knock in one word ✍️#TATAIPL | #SRHvPBKS | @SunRisers | @IamAbhiSharma4 pic.twitter.com/yJwBK5bAiD
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 12, 2025
The win helped SRH climb to the eighth spot on the IPL 2025 table, lifting them off the bottom. Abhishek, who had been under pressure due to a slow start this season, silenced all doubts with his fearless stroke play.
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While he was the aggressor, Head anchored the innings with a fluent 66 off 37 balls. Together, they dismantled the Punjab attack. Glenn Maxwell and Marco Jansen bore the brunt, while Yuzvendra Chahal’s dropped catch proved costly.
Sunrisers next face Mumbai Indians at Wankhede on April 17 — a clash Abhishek Sharma will head into riding high on confidence and form.
