Young Abhishek Sharma’s outstanding all-round performance was instrumental in Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) securing a decisive 36-run victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2 of the IPL 2024 in Chennai on May 24. Known primarily for his explosive batting, Sharma’s left-arm spin emerged as a game-changer in this crucial encounter. Defending a target of 175, SRH made early inroads into the Rajasthan batting lineup. However, RR remained in contention thanks to a counterattacking, unbeaten 56 by Dhruv Jurel.
With the pitch offering considerable turn, SRH skipper Pat Cummins turned to his spinners, Abhishek Sharma and Shahbaz Ahmed, to stifle the opposition’s progress. The strategy paid off handsomely as the spin duo accounted for five wickets, triggering a collapse in the RR batting order. Abhishek Sharma concluded his spell with impressive figures of 2/24 from four overs, notably without conceding a boundary in his first three overs. His scalps included key wickets of RR’s skipper Sanju Samson and the formidable Shimron Hetmyer.
Reflecting on his performance in the post-match press conference, Abhishek Sharma said, “To be honest, I didn’t know I would bowl this match but I was very much ready with my bowling because I’ve been working hard on it. The last two years have been good with my batting, so I wanted to focus on my bowling as well, with special mention to my dad for his support.”
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This season, the 23-year-old has amassed 482 runs at a staggering strike rate of 207.75, primarily establishing himself as a batting all-rounder. However, in this critical match, Sharma’s bowling contributions were equally vital to SRH’s success.
“Patty (Pat Cummins) used the spinners really well. There was more turn in the second innings. Perhaps it was the pressure I applied in the practice sessions that earned me this opportunity,” Abhishek Sharma added with a smile.
Abhishek Sharma said, “I’ve been working on my batting a lot, but I’ve been working on my bowling with my dad. So special mention to my dad”. pic.twitter.com/rFpASJMYub
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 24, 2024
He attributed his confidence in bowling to his experiences in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he bowled 20 overs for the champion team Punjab.
“The momentum came from the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. We won the trophy for Punjab, and that built my confidence for this season. Conversations in our team meetings also gave us batters the freedom to perform without pressure,” Abhishek SHarma explained. “Playing in the IPL final has always been a dream, and it’s coming true this year.”
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With this convincing victory, Sunrisers Hyderabad have earned their place in the finals of the 17th edition of the tournament. They are set to face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the grand finale on May 26 at the same venue, the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. SRH will be aiming to clinch their second title in the history of the IPL, adding another chapter to their storied journey in the league.
