Cheteshwar Pujara heaped praise on Abhishek Sharma after the young opener’s scintillating century powered Sunrisers Hyderabad to a commanding win over Delhi Capitals in the ongoing Indian Premier League.
Speaking on JioHotstar’s Champions Waali Commentary, Pujara described Abhishek as a “special talent,” highlighting the ease and authority with which he compiles big scores. The former India batter noted that this was Abhishek’s second IPL century—and his first of the season—adding that such innings often prove decisive for Hyderabad.
“Abhishek makes centuries look easy. His runs are crucial because they frequently translate into wins for SRH,” Pujara said, underlining the opener’s growing influence at the top of the order.
Abhishek delivered a breathtaking performance, remaining unbeaten on 135 off 68 balls. His knock, laced with nine fours and ten sixes, came off just 47 deliveries for the century and propelled Hyderabad to a formidable 242 for 2.
The innings also saw the left-hander reach a notable milestone in T20 cricket, bringing up his ninth century in the format—drawing level with Virat Kohli among Indian players. In the global standings, Chris Gayle leads with 22 T20 centuries, followed by Babar Azam (12) and David Warner (10).
Defending a daunting target of 243, Hyderabad sealed a convincing 47-run victory, with Eshan Malinga starring with a four-wicket haul to cap off a dominant all-round performance.
(With inputs from ANI)