Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 22 : Indian opener Abhishek Sharma surpassed Bhuvneshwar Kumar, registering the most 'Player of the Match' wins by an Indian player for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the franchise's history.
Abhishek achieved this record during his side's Indian Premier League (IPL) game against Delhi Capitals (DC) at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, scoring an unbeaten 135* in 68 balls, with 10 fours and 10 sixes, striking at almost 200. He batted throughout the entirety of 20 overs in the match.
This is seventh POTM award for Abhishek in 81 matches, surpassing Bhuvneshwar's six POTM awards for SRH in 145 matches.
Abhishek currently holds the Orange Cap this season for most runs, scoring 323 runs in seven innings at an average of 53.83, with a strike rate of 215.33, including a century and two sixes.
He also became the fourth SRH player after David Warner, Shikhar Dhawan and Kane Williamson to score 2,000 runs for the franchise, currently standing at 2,076 runs in 81 matches and 78 innings at an average of 28.83 and a strike rate of 168.64, including two centuries and 11 fifties.
His ninth T20 century ties him with Indian batting icon Virat Kohli for joint-most tons in the format by an Indian and with Virat, Sahibzada Farhan, Riley Rossouw and Quinton de Kock for the joint fourth-most T20 tons.
Coming to the match, DC won the toss and opted to field first. A 97-run opening stand between Abhishek and Travis Head (37 in 26 balls, with two fours and two sixes) started off things for SRH. Abhishek batted the entire innings, ending with 135* in 68 balls, with 10 fours and 10 sixes, creating partnerships with skipper Ishan Kishan (25 in 13 balls, with two fours and a six) and Heinrich Klaasen (37* in 13 balls, with three fours and three sixes), taking SRH to 244/2 in 20 overs.
During the run-chase, after losing Pathum Nissanka early, KL Rahul (37 in 23 balls, with a four and three sixes) and Nitish Rana (57 in 30 balls, with seven fours and three sixes) put together a partnership of 86 runs. But after their dismissals, DC fell apart, with Eshan Malinga (4/32 in four overs), Sakib Hussain (1/29 in four overs) and Harsh Dubey (3/12 in two overs) reducing DC to 195/9.
SRH is at the third place in the points table, with four wins and three losses, while DC is at fifth spot with three wins and three losses.