I was at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Tuesday night. The crowd was restless. Delhi Capitals won the toss and chose to bowl. The pitch looked slow. Everyone expected a fight.
No one expected history.
Abhishek Sharma did not just bat. He erased the Delhi Capitals bowling attack from the game. By the time he finished, the scoreboard read 135 not out. 68 balls. 10 fours. 10 sixes.
This is the story of how Abhishek Sharma scripts history IPL 2026—and why this knock is different from every other IPL hundred you have seen.
The Exact Moment the Match Turned (It Wasn't a Six)
You will see many highlights of the sixes. You will see the straight drives. But the real turning point was a miss.
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Abhishek was on 87. Nitish Rana was the bowler. Abhishek sliced one high toward point. The fielder jumped. The ball popped out.
That was it. The only chance DC had.
If that catch sticks, SRH probably score 180. Instead, Abhishek made them pay. He added 48 more runs after that drop. No mercy. No slow down.
Later, DC captain Axar Patel admitted the truth. "The run-out and the catch we missed—had we taken it, we could have restricted them".
But here is the thing about elite batting. You don't apologize for luck. You punish it. Abhishek did exactly that.
Breaking Down the 135 Scorecard: Raw Numbers vs Real Impact
Let me give you the Abhishek Sharma 135 scorecard data that actually matters. Not the fluff.
The Full Picture :
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Runs: 135 not out
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Balls: 68
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Strike Rate: 198.52
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Fours: 10
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Sixes: 10
The Partnership Breakdown:
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With Travis Head: 97 runs (26 balls)
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With Ishan Kishan: 79 runs (13 balls)
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With Heinrich Klaasen: 66* runs (29 balls)
Here is what those numbers tell you. Abhishek did not need a partner to hold his hand. Head was scratchy. Kishan came and went. Klaasen finished well. But through all of it, Abhishek held one end like a rock.
The Abhishek Sharma 135 innings saw him reach his century in just 47 balls. That is the second-fastest of the season. But more importantly, it is his second sub-50 ball IPL hundred. No other Indian has done that twice.
The Technical Masterclass: How He Actually Played?
Let me be specific. This is not a "he played well" summary.
Against Mukesh Kumar: Abhishek shuffled across. Picked the slower ball early. Hit it over long-on. Then did it again. Mukesh had no answer.
Against Kuldeep Yadav: Usually, left-handers struggle against Kuldeep's googly. Abhishek just stayed deep in his crease. Watched the hand. If it was the googly, he punched it through cover. If it was the stock ball, he slog-swept. Kuldeep went for 30 runs in 2 overs.
Against Axar Patel: Axar bowled only 2 overs. That is rare. A captain usually bowls himself more. But Axar saw what was happening. He took himself off. That is how destructive this innings was.
The Nitish Rana experiment: This was the strangest decision of the night. DC bowled part-timer Nitish Rana for 4 full overs. He conceded 55 runs. Left-handers targeted him again and again. It was a tactical disaster.
When you watch the Abhishek Sharma 135 scorecard highlights, watch his footwork against Rana. He didn't charge. He didn't dance down. He just waited. Picked the length. And swung through the line.
The Records That Actually Matter (Not the Fluffy Ones)
Everyone throws around "record broken" these days. Let me filter out the noise. Here are the records that matter.
Record 1: Abhishek now has 9 T20 centuries. That ties him with Virat Kohli for the most by an Indian in T20 cricket . Kohli took 15 years to get there. Abhishek is 25.
Record 2: He is the first Indian to hit 10+ sixes in multiple IPL innings. Only Chris Gayle has done it more times.
Record 3: His 141 (in 2025) and 135* (now) are the two highest scores by any SRH batter in IPL history. He owns the top two spots.
Record 4: Abhishek now has four scores of 130+ in T20 cricket. That is the most by any player in history. He passed Chris Gayle and Aaron Finch.
Record 5: He is now the Orange Cap holder. He passed his teammate Heinrich Klaasen.
When Abhishek Sharma scripts history IPL 2026 with numbers like these, you are not watching a good player. You are watching an all-time great in the making.
What He Said After the Innings?
This is the part highlights won't show you.
After the match, Abhishek did not talk about records. He talked about his father.
"My dad has been sitting next to the screen since my U12 days," he said. "Even when I am at the non-striker's end, he gives me instructions. It still helps me".
Then he made a request to the broadcasters. "Next time, I want one camera to just go to him and see his reactions. It will be really fun".
He also dedicated the innings to his sister. She was not at the stadium. She had an infection and had to stay home. "This is for you," he said.
And his celebration? The 'L' hand gesture he kept flashing? That is not arrogance. "It's love for the stadium and the fans," he explained.
This is a player who is grounded. That matters for longevity.
The SRH Environment: Why He is Succeeding Now?
Abhishek was clear about one thing. The SRH management deserves credit.
"You have to have the backing from the captain and coach," he said. "The environment we had in Sunrisers in 2024 was a game-changer. They wanted to grow the youngsters".
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He also had a simple explanation for his style. "I play like this for Punjab. Punjabi players like to play freely.
That freedom is visible. He is not playing for his spot. He is not scared of failure. He is just hitting.
Skipper Ishan Kishan put it simply after the match. "What do I say right now? With the way Abhishek batted, all the credit goes to him".
Where This Innings Ranks in IPL History (Honest Take)?
Let me give you my real ranking. No hype.
Chris Gayle's 175* is still number one. That was a different era. Different bowling attacks. Different expectations.
Brendon McCullum's 158* is number two. It started the IPL. That matters.
Abhishek Sharma's 135* is number three. But here is the catch. It is the best chase innings by an Indian ever. And it is the most technically perfect of the top five.
The Abhishek Sharma 135 innings had no mishits. No dropped catches (except the one on 87, which was a difficult chance). No inside edges. Just pure, clean striking.
That is rare. Even in a 70-ball hundred, you usually see one top edge or one slice that falls safe. Here? Nothing.
The Bowling Performance That Sealed the Win
I cannot ignore the bowlers. A 242 total means nothing if you cannot defend it.
Eshan Malinga took 4 wickets for 32 runs . Sakib Hussain took 1 for 29. Harsh Dubey took 3.
But the story was the collapse. DC was 107 for 1. They looked comfortable. Then Malinga started his variations. Pace off. Slower bouncers. Hard lengths.
They collapsed to 107 for 4. Then 195 for 9.
That is a 47-run win. Comfortable in the end. But the bowlers made it happen.
What This Means for the Rest of IPL 2026?
One innings does not win a trophy. We know that.
But it changes how teams plan for SRH.
Do you bowl spin early? Abhishek hits spinners over cover.
Do you bowl pace? He hits them down the ground.
Do you pack the off-side? He whips you through midwicket.
There is no safe option.
DC tried everything. They used 7 bowlers. Everyone went for runs. Axar Patel bowled just 2 overs. That is a captain admitting defeat.
After the match, Axar was honest. "If someone bats that well, and their execution is not lacking, credit must be given. Even a captain cannot stop someone like that".
That is the highest praise. When the opposition captain says he had no answer.
Where to Watch the Full 135 Scorecard Highlights?
If you missed the match, here is where to find the cleanest footage.
Official IPL Website: Free. No sign-up needed. Loads slowly sometimes but reliable.
JioHotstar (formerly Hotstar): Requires subscription. But has 4K quality. Worth it if you watch other sports.
IPL YouTube Channel: They upload 12-minute highlights after 2 hours. Free. But has ads every few minutes.
For the Abhishek Sharma 135 scorecard highlights, avoid random cricket clipping sites. The resolution is terrible. The edits are choppy. Stick to official sources.
One Final Observation
After the match, Abhishek did not jump. Did not roar. Did not point to the jersey. He raised his bat. Hugged his partner. Walked off. In the dugout, he sat alone for a minute. Drank water. Stared at the pitch.
That is the sign of a player who knows the job is not done. The season is long. The real tests are coming. That awareness matters more than 135 runs.
That is why I believe Abhishek Sharma scripts history IPL 2026 again before the tournament ends. Not because of the sixes.
Because of the silence after them.
