On Sunday, the Indian player received the highest praise of his career when Pat Cummins admitted he’d be afraid to bowl at the dynamic left-hander because “it’s frightening”. During this IPL season, Abhishek Sharma, batting at a strike rate of 209.41, received high praise from premier pacer Pat Cummins, who admitted he wouldn’t want to bowl at the explosive left-hander as “it’s scary”.
In this edition of the league, Abhishek has instilled fear in bowlers, including Cummins, who is his skipper at Sunrisers Hyderabad. He smashed a 28-ball 66 in SRH’s four-wicket victory over Punjab Kings, hitting six sixes and five fours as SRH chased down Punjab Kings’ target of 215 with five balls remaining.
“He (Abhishek) is amazing. I wouldn’t want to bowl to him. It’s scary as he plays with freedom, not only against pacers but also against spinners,” the Australian fast bowler said during the post-match presentation.
The 23-year-old, who plays for Punjab in domestic cricket, has been outstanding this season, scoring 467 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of almost 210, smashing 39 sixes and 35 fours. Cummins also praised Nitish Reddy for his vital 25-ball 37 innings batting at No. 4.
“Nitish is a class player, matured beyond his age, seems to sum up the game really well, he is perfect for our top-order. It has been great and amazing. I didn’t know many guys coming into this season, but we have played great cricket and had some fun. Great bunch of guys,” Cummins added.
The victory ensured that SRH remains on track for a top-two position, providing them with an additional chance to reach the final.
“We have won five out of seven matches here, it has been great and amazing. It’s really satisfying and exciting. I haven’t played in finals before, we are playing some really good cricket, excited for what’s ahead,” Cummins said.
Lara’s advice on batting is proving beneficial for me: Abhishek Sharma
Abhishek mentioned that he has gained significant advantages from his collaboration with the batting legend Brian Lara, who was previously associated with the franchise.
“I have done some work with him, he’s in touch. That’s helping me now,” Abhishek said.
He reached his fifty in 21 balls, marking it as the slowest of the three half-centuries he has achieved this season, showcasing his aggressive style. Abhishek’s earlier two fifties were scored in 16 balls against Mumbai Indians and in 19 balls against Lucknow Super Giants.
“My days are going good so I should utilise it for my team. I wanted to contribute as the target was big today. I think I have told this before, during Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy I was clear how I was going to play and dominate in the IPL.”
“I’m just waiting for the loose balls, I am going hard against them and trying to put them (bowlers) under pressure,” Abhishek added.
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