Hyderabad/Patiala, 13 April (Sports desk)
In a high-octane IPL 2025 encounter on April 12 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) chased down a mammoth 246-run target set by Punjab Kings (PBKS) to secure an emphatic eight-wicket victory with nine balls to spare. Abhishek Sharma’s sensational 141 off 55 balls, complemented by Travis Head’s 66, orchestrated one of the most memorable chases in IPL history, marking SRH’s second-highest successful run chase ever
Match Summary
- Toss: PBKS won the toss and elected to bat first.
- Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
- Result: SRH won by 8 wickets (18.3 overs)
- Player of the Match: Abhishek Sharma (141 off 55 balls)
Punjab Kings Innings (245/6 in 20 overs)
PBKS got off to a blazing start, with openers Priyansh Arya (36 off 13 balls, 4×4, 2×6) and Prabhsimran Singh (42 off 23 balls, 7×4, 1×6) smashing 66 runs in just 24 balls. Captain Shreyas Iyer anchored the innings with a fiery 82 off 36 balls (6×4, 6×6), reaching his fifty in just 22 balls. Nehal Wadhera contributed 27 off 15, while Marcus Stoinis provided a late flourish, hammering four consecutive sixes off Mohammed Shami in the final over to finish with 27 runs off the over, propelling PBKS to 245/6.
- Key Performances:
- Shreyas Iyer: 82 (36 balls, 6×4, 6×6)
- Prabhsimran Singh: 42 (23 balls, 7×4, 1×6)
- Priyansh Arya: 36 (13 balls, 4×4, 2×6)
- Bowling for SRH:
- Harshal Patel: 4/42 (4 overs), including the wickets of Shreyas Iyer and Glenn Maxwell
- Eshan Malinga: 2/45 (4 overs), dismissing Prabhsimran Singh and Nehal Wadhera
- Mohammed Shami: 0/75 (4 overs), recording the second-worst spell in IPL history
Sunrisers Hyderabad Innings (247/2 in 18.3 overs)
Chasing 246, SRH’s openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head set the tone with a jaw-dropping 171-run partnership in just 75 balls. Abhishek was the aggressor, racing to a 40-ball century—his maiden IPL ton and the fifth-fastest in IPL history. His 141 off 55 balls, studded with 14 fours and 10 sixes, broke KL Rahul’s record for the highest individual score by an Indian in IPL history (132*). Head supported with a brisk 66 off 37 balls (4×4, 4×6) before falling to Yuzvendra Chahal. Abhishek’s innings ended at 141, caught off Arshdeep Singh, but Heinrich Klaasen (21* off 8) and Ishan Kishan (9* off 3) finished the chase in style, with Klaasen hitting a boundary to seal the win in 18.3 overs.
- Key Performances:
- Abhishek Sharma: 141 (55 balls, 14×4, 10×6)
- Travis Head: 66 (37 balls, 4×4, 4×6)
- Heinrich Klaasen: 21* (8 balls, 2×4, 1×6)
- Bowling for PBKS:
- Yuzvendra Chahal: 1/56 (4 overs), dismissing Travis Head
- Arshdeep Singh: 1/37 (4 overs), taking Abhishek Sharma’s wicket
- Lockie Ferguson: Struggled, leaving the field mid-over due to discomfort
Teams
- Sunrisers Hyderabad XI: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Aniket Verma, Pat Cummins (c), Harshal Patel, Zeeshan Ansari, Mohammed Shami, Eshan Malinga
- Punjab Kings XI: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson watch……MS Dhoni’s Highest IPL Score: Captain Cool’s Finest Knocks
Key Moments
- PBKS Powerplay Dominance: PBKS raced to 89/0 in the Powerplay, the highest team total in the first six overs this season, with Arya and Prabhsimran punishing SRH’s bowlers.
- Abhishek’s Record Knock: Abhishek’s 141 included a 40-ball century, surpassing KL Rahul’s 132* to become the highest individual score by an Indian in IPL history. He also set a record for the fourth-highest individual score in the IPL, behind Chris Gayle (175*), Brendon McCullum (158*), and Quinton de Kock (140*).
- Shami’s Nightmare: Mohammed Shami’s 0/75 was the second-most expensive spell in IPL history, only behind Jofra Archer’s 0/76.
- Stoinis’ Late Surge: Marcus Stoinis’ four consecutive sixes off Shami in the final over boosted PBKS to a daunting total, but it wasn’t enough.
- SRH’s Chase: SRH’s 143/0 after 10 overs was the fourth-highest 10-over score in IPL history, setting the stage for their record-breaking chase.
Post-Match Reactions
- Abhishek Sharma (Player of the Match): “The atmosphere was simple even though the batters were not doing well. It was a special day for both of us [him and Head]. I got a bit lucky, which was nice. This wicket has seen a lot of high scores, so we knew it wasn’t out of reach.”
- Shreyas Iyer (PBKS Captain): “The way they batted was out of this world. Abhishek’s knock was one of the best I’ve seen. The dew made it harder for us, but 230 was a good total, we thought.”
- Travis Head: “Abhi got off to a flier, and we complemented each other well. We got a bit lucky, but we did the small things right.”
Impact on Points Table
With this win, SRH snapped a five-match losing streak, jumping ahead of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) to eighth place on the IPL 2025 points table. PBKS slipped to sixth.
This victory showcased SRH’s batting might, with Abhishek Sharma’s historic knock cementing his status as a T20 star, while PBKS were left to rue missed chances and an off-day for their bowlers.
