The ‘Orange Army’ witnessed a masterclass at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Tuesday as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) dismantled Delhi Capitals (DC) in the 31st match of the IPL 2026 season. In a high-octane encounter, the headlines were stolen by a rejuvenated Abhishek Sharma, whose unbeaten 135 off 68 balls powered SRH to a mammoth 242/2. While the sheer volume of runs was staggering, it was Sharma’s uncharacteristic poise and a mysterious new “L” celebration that left fans and pundits buzzing.
Abhishek Sharma opens up about the inspiration behind his new celebration
Abhishek’s knock was a significant departure from his usual cameo-style aggression. Known for providing explosive starts before perishing early, the left-hander showed a new layer of maturity by batting through the entire 20 overs, a feat he admitted was a career first.
“I had a plan with Franky [the coach], and he just wanted me to bat till the 20 overs. I think this is the first time that I have batted for the full duration. The wicket wasn’t too easy,” Abhishek remarked during the post-match presentation.
Rather than a mindless slog, Sharma navigated a tricky surface that demanded respect early on. He reached his 50 off 25 balls and his century off just 47, but the real value lay in his ability to accelerate during the death overs, eventually finishing with 10 fours and 10 sixes.
The emotional peak of the night came when Sharma reached his milestone and debuted a new celebration, forming an ‘L’ sign with his hand toward the stands.
“I have been doing this ‘L’ celebration for a long time in my head. It’s just love for the stadium and the way they support us. Of course, my parents are here, which is always special. My sister is missing because she had an infection, so this is for her as well,” Sharma revealed.
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SRH outclass DC with a thumping 47-run win
Despite a spirited effort from the Delhi Capitals, the target of 243 proved to be a mountain too steep to climb. SRH’s bowling unit, led by a clinical Eshan Malinga, ensured that the visitors never got ahead of the required rate.
SRH’s innings was built on three major partnerships. Travis Head (37 off 26) provided the initial spark, contributing to a 97-run opening stand. Following Head’s departure, Ishan Kishan added a quick-fire 25, but the final flourish came from Heinrich Klaasen, who smashed 37 off just 13 balls (SR 284.61) to propel the score to 242.
Delhi’s response saw flashes of brilliance, particularly from Nitish Rana (57 off 30) and Sameer Rizvi (41 off 28). However, the SRH bowlers executed their plans to perfection, Eshan Malinga was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 4/32, including the crucial wickets of Rana and David Miller (0). Harsh Dubey cleaned up the tail with a clinical 3/12 in just two overs. Sakib Hussain maintained pressure with an economy of 7.25.
The Capitals eventually finished at 195/9, handing Sunrisers Hyderabad a comprehensive 47-run victory. With this win, SRH solidifies its position in the top three of the points table, fuelled by an Abhishek who has finally learned to ‘stay to watch the whole sky burn.’
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