NEW DELHI: After beating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by four wickets Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) skipper Pat Cummins hailed young batsman Abhishek Sharma for his fearlessness in batting, observing that he played with abandon against pacemen and spinners as well.
Abhishek’s and Heinrich Klaasen’s superlative performances propelled SRH to victory, lifting them to second place on the points table.
In particular, he demonstrated versatile batting skills during the match in Hyderabad on Sunday, which turned out to be instrumental for SRH during their successful run chase against PBKS.
Speaking after the game at the post-match presentation ceremony Cummins said “It is pretty cool. It is awesome. We have won six out of seven games here (Hyderabad), it has been great and amazing. I did not know many guys coming into this season but we have played great cricket and had some fun. Great bunch of guys. He (Abhishek) is amazing. I would not want to bowl to him. It is scary, as he plays with freedom not only against pacers but also against spinners.”
Cummins also praised Nitish Kumar Reddy a young all-rounder for being “maturity beyond his age” and class show in him.
“Really satisfying and exciting.I have not played in finals (of IPL) before, we will know in a few hours which game it is. Playing some really good cricket, excited for what is ahead,”he concluded.
Abhishek has been one of the most impressive performers for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) this season accumulating 467 runs from 13 innings placing him ninth among highest scorers.He boasts an impressive average of 38.91 and a strike rate of 209.41 which demonstrates how impactful his contributions have been for the team.This season Abhishek has scored three half-centuries with his best score being 75 not out.
Besides, another fabulous revelation on SRH side has been Reddy whose graceful and calmness-filled batting style has endeared him to both fans and critics alike. In ten matches he has scored 276 runs from eight innings at a superlative average of 46.00 and strike rate of 151.64, which includes two half centuries.Reddy has also contributed with ball in hand taking three wickets showing that he can be utilized as an all rounder for the SRH team.
The match started with PBKS winning the toss and choosing to bat first. Prabhsimran Singh’s brutal fifty (71 off 45 balls; 7 fours, 4 sixes), Rilee Rossouw (49 in 24 balls;3 fours,4 sixes)and Atharva Taide (46 in 27 balls;5 fours ,2 sixes) unleashed pandemonium and set the stage for squashing one more huge score board against PBKS finishing with a total of 214/5 in their allotted twenty overs.
SRH’s best bowler was T Natarajan (2/33).
In response, after losing Travis Head without scoring Abhishek Sharma hit back with a quick knock of sixty-six from only twenty-eight deliveries including five boundaries and six maximums alongside Nitish Kumar Reddy who struggled for thirty seven from twenty-five containing four plus three Heinrich Klaasen who stroked forty-two from twenty-six comprising three plus two.It meant that SRH could chase down their target of PBKS’215/6 in only nineteen points one overs hence winning by five wickets with just five balls remaining.
Arshdeep Singh was the most successful bowler on the side of PBKS picking up two wickets for thirty-seven runs.Abhishek Sharma received the man of the match award for his quickfire fifty.
