Sunrisers Hyderabad made full use of being put in to bat, racing to 105 without loss in the powerplay against Punjab Kings in a one-sided start.
Abhishek leads brutal powerplay assault
Abhishek Sharma, who had struggled for runs earlier in the season, responded with a clear shift in intent. He brought up a half-century in just 18 balls and continued to attack, reaching 66 off 22 by the end of the sixth over. His innings included a sequence of clean strikes, particularly against pace, as he targeted both length and short deliveries.
The left-hander took on Arshdeep Singh early, collecting boundaries in the opening overs and forcing the bowler off his lengths. A 24-run over from Arshdeep in the third over set the tone, with Abhishek using width and slower balls to his advantage.
At the other end, Travis Head played a supporting role but maintained the tempo. He moved to 31 off 15, finding gaps and capitalising on anything loose as the opening stand crossed 100 inside six overs.
PBKS struggle for control as runs flow
Punjab Kings’ bowlers failed to find control despite early movement. Marco Jansen and Xavier Bartlett were both taken on, with variations proving ineffective on a surface offering little assistance.
Vijaykumar Vyshak also went for runs, conceding heavily in his first over as Abhishek continued to dominate. The lack of wickets allowed SRH to maintain a high scoring rate throughout the powerplay.
Having been asked to bat first, SRH showed no hesitation in approach. The aggressive start has put them in a strong position, with the platform set for a total well beyond par if the momentum continues.
Highest Powerplay Scores in the IPL
125/0 – SRH vs DC, Delhi, 2024
107/0 – SRH vs LSG, Hyderabad, 2024
105/0 – KKR vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2017
105/0 – SRH vs PBKS, Mullanpur, 2026, Today*