Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], April 25 : Opener Abhishek Sharma overtook New Zealand stalwart Kane Williamson to become the third-highest run-getter for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Saturday.
Abhishek achieved this milestone during his side's Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Rajasthan Royals (RR), scoring a 29-ball 57, with 11 fours and a six, at a strike rate of over 196.
In 82 matches and 79 innings, Abhishek has made 2,133 runs at an average of 29.21, with a strike rate of 169.28, including two centuries and two fifties and a best score of 141*, outdoing Williamson's 2,101 runs in 76 matches and 75 innings at an average of 36.22 and a strike rate of over 126, with 18 fifties and a best score of 89*.
The highest run-getter for SRH is their title-winning captain and Australia icon David Warner, who has made 4,014 runs in 95 matches and 95 innings at an average of 49.55 and a strike rate of 142.59, including two centuries and 40 fifties and a best score of 126.
This season, Abhishek currently holds the 'Orange Cap' for most runs with 380 runs in eight innings at an average of 54.28 and a strike rate of over 212, with a century and three fifties and best score of 135*.
After a slump during the T20 World Cup and early stages of IPL, which resulted in him getting seven ducks, the highest by an Indian in a calendar year, Abhishek is showing a great recovery from this dip and returning back to his consistent ways with 703 runs in 21 innings at an average of 37.00 and a strike rate of 206.15, including a century and seven fifties.
After SRH opted to bowl first, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (103 in 37 balls, with five fours and 12 sixes) and Dhruv Jurel (51 in 35 balls, with eight fours and a six) put the foot on the pedal with a 112-run partnership. A cameo from Donovan Ferreira (33 in 13 balls, with three fours and three sixes) towards the end took RR to a fine 228/6.
Eshan Malinga (2/38) was the pick of the bowlers for SRH, while Pat Cummins, Praful Hinge, Sakib Hussain and Nitish Kumar Reddy got a wicket each. Sakib, however, leaked 62 runs in his spell.
During the run-chase, after early dismissal of Travis Head (6), a stand of 132 runs between Abhishek Sharma (57 in 29 balls, with 11 fours and a six) and Ishan Kishan (74 in 31 balls, with 11 fours and three sixes) and knocks from Heinrich Klaasen (29 in 24 balls, with three fours and a six) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (36 in 18 balls, with two fours and three sixes) took SRH to a win by five wickets and nine balls to spare.
SRH has jumped to third spot with five wins and three losses, including 10 points, while RR is at the fourth spot with the same win-loss record, with a poorer net-run-rate keeping them down.
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