Abhishek nonchalantly surpasses Kohli's six-hitting record

Abhishek Sharma is having a memorable Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. He has hit over 350 runs, opening the batting this season with a strike rate in excess of 200, and has played a pivotal role in taking Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) into the playoffs. 

On May 19 (Sunday), he smashed a new record. He now holds the record for most sixes (41) hit by an Indian batter in a single IPL campaign, surpassing Virat Kohli's 2016 campaign, where the latter hit 38 sixes. He achieved this feat in the sixth over of their match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) when he smashed Rishi Dhawan for an 82m hit over long-on. 

In pursuit of 215, Abhishek smashed 66 off 28 deliveries, which included five fours and as many as six towering sixes to put his team on top. However, it isn't the record for most sixes by a batter in a single IPL campaign, with Chris Gayle scoring 59 sixes in 2012. 

Even though Travis Head was dismissed for a duck first ball, Abhishek's partnership with the Australian batter has been epic. In the 12 innings they have opened together this season, they have hit 584 runs - the most this season - at a strike rate of 225.5 - the highest in IPL 2024 after Jake Fraser-McGurk and Abishek Porel, who have scored at 241.1.

Thanks to the opening combo, SRH has scored more than 200 on five occasions, the highest being 287 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru—the second-highest total in T20 history. 

SRH have now hit 159 sixes in IPL 2024, which is the most by a team in a single edition of the tournament, surpassing RCB (157 in 2024).

While SRH have assured a place in the playoffs, a win in this game will give them a chance of finishing second in the table and will have two shots at making it to the final. SRH are chasing their second IPL title, having won their first under David Warner's captaincy in 2016.

Pat Cummins, who has had a memorable year or so, winning the World Test Championship (WTC) and ODI World Cup as captain, will be looking to add another trophy to his growing cabinet.

Play Asli Fantasy on Cricket.com NOW! Download the App here.