Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy entered an elite group on Thursday, scoring the most sixes in an Indian Premier League (IPL) innings by a hitter from his team.
Nitish accomplished this accomplishment during his team’s match against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Hyderabad.
The all-rounder hit an undefeated 76* from 42 balls, including three fours and eight sixes. His runs were at a strike rate of 180.95.
It is the most sixes scored in an IPL innings by an SRH batter. He has tied with Australian legend David Warner (126* sixes against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2017), Manish Pandey (83 sixes against RR in IPL 2020), Heinrich Klaasen (63 sixes against KKR in IPL 2024), and Travis Head (102 sixes against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2024).
Nitish has scored 219 runs in seven matches and six innings this season, with an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 154.22, including two half-centuries. His highest score is 76*. He has also claimed three wickets. This pace-bowling batting all-rounder has impressed SRH this season, his second with the Orange Army. He just played two games last season and had a few overs to bowl.
SRH chose to bat first after winning the toss. After a poor start, opener Travis Head (58 in 44 balls, six fours and three sixes) and all-rounder Nitish Reddy injected new life into the batting with a 96-run third-wicket stand. Nitish, who scored an unbeaten 76* in 42 balls with three fours and eight sixes, received excellent support from Heinrich Klaasen, who overcame a brief slump in form to score an unbeaten 42 in 19 balls with three fours and three sixes to lead SRH to 201/3 in their 20 overs.
RR’s wicket-takers included Avesh Khan (2/39) and Sandeep Sharma (1/31).
In the chase, RR lost two fast wickets for a single run. Youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal (67 in 40 balls, seven fours and two sixes) and Riyan Parag (77 in 49 balls, eight fours and four sixes) helped RR get into the game with a 133-run third-wicket stand. Rovman Powell (27 in 15 balls, three fours, and a six) almost won it for his team toward the end, but was caught lbw on the last ball with two runs needed. SRH won by a single run with the last ball.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/41) was SRH’s standout bowler, earning the ‘Player of the Match’ title. Skipper Pat Cummins and T Natrajan also took two wickets.
RR leads with eight victories and two losses, totaling 16 points. SRH is in fourth place with six victories and four losses, totaling 12 points.