Abhishek Sharma, a young talent, played a crucial role in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) 36-run triumph over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the IPL 2024 Qualifier 2 held in Chennai on May 24. Known for his explosive batting, Sharma’s left-arm spin also turned out to be decisive in this high-stakes match.
While defending a target of 175, SRH made early inroads, but RR stayed in contention thanks to Dhruv Jurel’s aggressive, unbeaten 56. Recognizing the pitch’s turn, SRH skipper Pat Cummins relied on his spinners, particularly Abhishek Sharma and Shahbaz Ahmed, to stifle the opposition.
This strategic move paid off handsomely as the pair claimed five wickets between them, triggering a collapse for RR. Sharma’s contribution was vital, finishing with impressive figures of 2/24 in four overs, and he successfully kept the boundaries at bay in his initial three overs.
His key scalps included RR captain Sanju Samson and the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer. In the post-match press conference, Sharma candidly shared his surprise at being asked to bowl, stating, “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 my bowling. The last two years it’s been good with my batting so I wanted to work on my bowling with my dad. So special mention to my dad.”
Patty used the spinners really well : Abhishek Sharma
Despite being initially regarded as a batting all-rounder, having amassed 482 runs at a striking rate of 207.75 this season, the 23-year-old was thrilled to make a significant bowling contribution in a crucial match.
Reflecting on the captain’s tactical acumen, Sharma said, “Patty (Pat Cummins) used the spinners really well. There was more turn in the second innings. (No dew, that’s why more part-time spin) I think it’s the pressure that I’ve put on our team in the practice session that’s why maybe I got a chance (smiles). But Shahbaz and I did well.”
Sharma attributed his bowling confidence to his performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he bowled 20 overs for the winning Punjab side, which bolstered his belief in his abilities.
He remarked, “It came from Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. We won the Trophy for Punjab and the momentum came from there. I had confidence for this season from the conversations in the meetings where the batters were given freedom.”
Expressing his excitement about reaching the IPL final, Sharma added, “It is one of my dreams to play the IPL final, it is coming true this year.”
With this decisive victory, SRH has advanced to the finals of the tournament’s 17th edition, where they will face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on May 26 at the same venue, aiming to clinch their second IPL title.
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