"I had a feeling today was my day" – Abhishek dedicates century to the Orange Army

It took a special knock from Abhishek Sharma to lift Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) out of a four-match slump in IPL 2025. His breathtaking 141 off just 55 balls against Punjab Kings (PBKS) not only set the stage for the second-highest run chase in IPL history but also marked a personal milestone — one that came with a heartfelt message.

As he celebrated his maiden IPL century, Abhishek pulled out a note from his pocket that read: “This one is for the Orange Army”, a tribute to SRH’s loyal fans.
“I actually wrote it this morning,” he revealed after the match. “I like to write something each day when I wake up. Today, I just had a random feeling — if something big happened, I wanted to dedicate it to the Orange Army. Thankfully, it turned out to be my day.”

Abhishek’s innings was a perfect blend of brute power and clever placement, featuring 14 fours and 10 sixes. Among the standout moments was his innovation in the tenth over, when he went across the stumps to flick Marco Jansen for back-to-back boundaries through fine leg — exploiting a vacant area in the field.

“Usually, I don’t play behind the wicket much,” Abhishek said. “But they had a solid plan outside off, so I tried inventing a few shots. It was easier on this pitch because of the true bounce and the shorter boundary on one side.”

SRH walked into the game under immense pressure — bottom of the table and with their openers, including Abhishek and Travis Head, struggling for form. But the pair turned things around with a blistering 171-run partnership in just 12.2 overs, laying the foundation for a successful chase of 246 with nine balls to spare.

“I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t any pressure,” Abhishek admitted. “When you don’t perform for a few games and the team’s losing, it’s natural to feel it. But credit to the team environment — there was no negativity, just belief. Everyone was waiting for a moment like this, and we knew we had to break the streak to stay in the hunt.”

With this emphatic win, SRH have climbed two spots to eighth on the points table and will now gear up to face Mumbai Indians at Wankhede on Thursday.

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