The Orange Army witnessed a master class at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Tuesday. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) dismantled Delhi Capitals (DC) In his 31st match IPL 2026 season. In a high-octane encounter, headlines were stolen by youth Abhishek SharmaAn unbeaten 135 off 68 balls powered SRH to a mammoth 242/2. While the amount of runs was staggering, it was Sharma’s uncharacteristic stance and mysterious new ‘L’ celebration that impressed fans and pundits alike.
Abhishek Sharma talks about the inspiration behind his new holiday
Abhishek’s beating was a significant departure from his usual cameo-style aggression. The left-hander, known for providing explosive starts before dying early, showed a new layer of maturity by batting all 20 innings, in what he admitted was the first feat of his career.
“I had a plan with Frankie (coach) and he just wanted me to hit 20 overs. I think it’s the first time I’ve batted full time. The door was not very easy“,” Abhishek remarked during the post-match presentation.
Instead of a no-nonsense move, Sharma navigated a difficult surface that demanded early respect. He reached 50 off 25 balls and his century was only 47, but the real value was in his ability to accelerate during the death overs, finishing with 10 fours and 10 sixes.
The emotional climax of the night came when Sharma reached his landmark and debuted a new celebration by making an ‘L’ sign with his hand towards the stands.
“I’ve been doing this “L” celebration in my head for a long time. It’s just love for the stadium and for them to support us. Of course, my parents are here, which is always special. My sister is missing due to an infection, so this is for her,Sharma said.
Also WATCH: Eshan Malinga cleans up David Miller beautifully in SRH vs DC IPL 2026 match
SRH outclassed DC with an emphatic 47-run win
Despite Delhi Capitals’ best efforts, the target of 243 was a very steep mountain to climb. SRH’s bowling unit led by the clinic Eshan Malingaensured that visitors were never ahead of the required pace.
SRH’s innings is built around three key partnerships. Head of Travis (26 off 37) provided the initial spark and secured an opening stand of 97. After the president left, Ishan Kishi 25 added rapid fire, but the final flourish came Heinrich KlaasenHe smashed 37 off 13 balls (SR 284.61) to take the score to 242.
Delhi’s response, in particular, saw a bright flash Nitish Rana (57 off 30) and Samir Rizvi (41 of 28). However, the SRH bowlers executed their plan perfectly, Eshan Malinga He was the pick of the bowlers returning figures of 4/32 including the crucial wickets of Rana and Rana. David Miller (0). Tough Dubey cleared his tail just twice with a clinical 3/12. Sakib Hussain Maintained pressure with 7.25 economy.
The Capitals eventually finished on 195/9, giving Sunrisers Hyderabad a comprehensive 47-run win. With this win, SRH cement their position in the top three of the points table, buoyed by an Abhishek who has finally learned to “stay back to watch the whole sky burn”.
Also READ: Fans go wild as Abhishek Sharma lights up Hyderabad with brilliant century in SRH vs DC IPL 2026
