IPL 2024: Abhishek Sharma, a rising star in the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) lineup, etched his name in IPL history on Sunday by hitting the most sixes by an Indian batter in a single season. His record-breaking feat occurred during SRH’s final league match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Hyderabad. Abhishek’s blistering knock of 66 runs off 28 balls, comprising five fours and six towering sixes, propelled him to this milestone with a staggering strike rate of 235.71.
This season, Abhishek has smashed a total of 41 sixes, surpassing Virat Kohli’s previous record of 38 sixes in the 2016 IPL. He also surpassed Heinrich Klaasen’s tally of 33 sixes this season, along with David Warner and Travis Head’s respective records in previous years, to become the SRH player with the most sixes in a single season. However, the overall record for the most sixes in a single IPL season still belongs to West Indies legend Chris Gayle, who hit 59 sixes in the 2012 season for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
In addition to his six-hitting prowess, Abhishek has accumulated 467 runs in 13 innings this season, ranking ninth among batters, with an impressive average of 38.91 and a phenomenal strike rate of 209.41. He has scored three half-centuries, with an unbeaten 75 being his highest score.
In the match against PBKS, SRH successfully chased down a formidable target of 215 runs, thanks to contributions from Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Heinrich Klaasen. Abhishek’s explosive innings earned him the Player of the Match award. With this victory, SRH secured the second spot in the points table, with eight wins, five losses, and one no result, totaling 17 points. Meanwhile, PBKS sits at the ninth position with five wins, nine losses, and 10 points.