On April 21, 2026, during a thrilling IPL 2026 encounter between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Delhi Capitals (DC), Abhishek Sharma made history. He became the joint record-holder for the most T20 centuries scored by an Indian player. By smashing a magnificent unbeaten 135 runs off 68 balls, he completed his 9th T20 century and equalled the record held by the legendary Virat Kohli.
Abhishek Sharma smashed his second IPL century, showcasing brilliant power-hitting, and was the standout player for Sunrisers Hyderabad against the Delhi Capitals.
Abhishek Sharma Turned Their Decision Into a Nightmare
When DC elected to bowl first, Abhishek Sharma turned their decision into a nightmare, hammering a spectacular century in just 47 balls. He remained unbeaten on 135 runs off 68 balls; his innings featured 10 towering sixes. SRH posted a mammoth total of 242 runs for the loss of just 2 wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
This innings marked Abhishek’s second IPL century and further solidified his growing stature in T20 cricket. It was the second instance in which he had struck 10 sixes in a single IPL innings. With this achievement, he became only the second player, after Chris Gayle, to accomplish this feat more than once.
During this innings, Abhishek Sharma Achieved Another Significant Milestone
With this innings, Abhishek’s tally of T20 centuries has risen to nine, placing him on par with Virat Kohli among Indian batsmen. On the all-time list, Gayle leads the pack with 22 centuries, followed by Babar Azam (12) and David Warner (10). Meanwhile, Abhishek now occupies the next spot on the list, alongside players such as Quinton de Kock, Rilee Rossouw, and Sahibzada Farhan.
During this innings, Abhishek Sharma achieved another significant milestone; he completed 350 sixes in T20 cricket. This further underscores his reputation as one of the most explosive batsmen in this format of the game.
SRH’s innings was characterized by a collective team effort from the top-order batsmen. Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, and Heinrich Klaasen provided solid support, but it was Abhishek who stole all the headlines. He held his ground at the crease throughout the entire innings, and, accelerating at just the right moment, launched a fierce assault on the opposition bowlers.
Luck, too, played a small part in this innings. When Abhishek was batting on 49, he narrowly escaped an easy run-out opportunity, as KL Rahul failed to capitalise on the chance. This proved to be a moment that cost DC dearly, for immediately thereafter, the left-handed batsman went on to play one of the most destructive innings of the season.
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