'If you get the ball...': Abhishek Sharma reveals Klaasen's advice during SRH's carnage against MI
HYDERABAD: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI) put on a show in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 that may equal any in terms of overall hitting pedigree, with the SRH eventually winning by 31 runs. In total, 38 sixes (the highest in a T20 game) were hit in forty overs, and 523 runs (the most in a T20 game) were scored in a contest to remember in Hyderabad.
Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Heinrich Klaasen were at their destructive best with the bat, helping SRH to 277/3 in the first innings. Head set the tone by smashing an 18-ball fifty inside the powerplay. It was the fastest fifty for SRH in IPL history. Head was ruthless on anything short of length and received plenty of it as the Mumbai Indians erred regularly.
If Head was brutal against the pacers early on, Abhishek Sharma was merciless against the bowlers that followed. He targeted Piyush Chawla first, followed by Kwen Maphaka, a 17-year-old debutant who was struck for 20 in one over.
Klaasen and Aiden Markram completed the scoring for SRH, giving them a record-breaking total. The wicketkeeper-batter scored an unbroken 80 runs off 34 balls, including four fours and seven sixes. Meanwhile, former SRH captain Markram remained unbeaten on 42.
The 23-year-old Abhishek revealed that he enjoyed batting with his idol, Head. Abhishek revealed that the team was confident of breaking the record for the highest total in Indian Premier League history as they approached the death overs.
"Even we realized after 15 overs that we could actually make a record today. I had a lot of fun out there because I was batting with Travis Head, he is one of my favourite batters in recent times. So, he is very clear about his thoughts and he just told me to express myself," Abhishek Sharma said in a video posted by IPL.
"The secret behind my performance would be that my parents were there to see the match at the stadium after a long time," Abhishek added.
Abhishek, who came into bat at No 3 scored 63 runs off 23 deliveries. His knock included three fours and seven sixes.
Coming into bat at the halfway point of the innings, Klaasen and Aiden Markram established an unbeaten 116-run partnership to maintain momentum and capitalise on the platform given down by the op-order.
"I think the big key was my afternoon nap just before the game. The wicket was fantastic, and rightly so, over 500 runs were scored quite easily," Klaasen said.
Klaasen also praised Abhishek, calling him 'special'.
"He dominates the spinners as well, which is nice to see. The way this guy bats, he is a special kid and a long, long career for him hopefully," he said.
Meanwhile, the 23-year-old also revealed the advice he received from Klaasen.
"I asked him, Klaasie, what's your plan? What should we do now? He said, 'if you get the ball you hit, if I get the ball I hit.' So I think that is very positive thinking. It is going very good for him and good for us as well," he added.
Chasing a humongous target of 278, MI could only score 246/5 in 20 overs in a brave effort, with Tilak Varma (64) scoring a half-century. Pat Cummins and Jaydev Unadkat each took two wickets for SRH.