Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 13 : Former India batter Robin Uthappa heaped praise on Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head for their breathtaking opening stand that powered Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to a record chase against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).
Chasing a mammoth target of 246 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, the duo unleashed a relentless assault on the Punjab Kings' bowling attack, stitching together a 171-run opening partnership in 12.2 overs.
Head made a blistering 66 off 37 deliveries, laced with nine boundaries and three sixes but it was Abhishek Sharma who stole the show with a sensational knock of 141 off 55 balls, smashing fourteen fours and ten towering sixes.
JioStar expert Robin Uthappa hailed the pair's fearless approach and pinpointed the turning point of the innings.
"They were unbelievable--it was absolutely Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head's day. Everything went their way. The only early opportunity came when Yash Thakur bowled a no-ball, but once that moment passed, you could sense they were going to go hard," Uthappa said on JioHotstar.
He further explained how momentum and belief play a huge role in such dominating performances.
"As a batter, when those moments go in your favour, you just feel like--this could be my day. You keep flirting with danger, but when it keeps working, it reinforces that belief. You start playing with confidence and conviction, and that's when innings like this happen. Truly, this was just unbelievable," he added.
The explosive opening partnership laid the foundation for one of the most memorable run-chases in IPL history, as Sunrisers Hyderabad made a strong statement heading into the latter half of the tournament.
Abhishek made history on Saturday, hitting the highest individual score by an Indian player in Indian Premier League (IPL) history.
The 24-year-old player has overtaken KL Rahul (132 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2020) as the player with the highest score by an Indian in IPL history.
Overall, next to Chris Gayle (175* for RCB against Pune Warriors India in 2013) and Brendon McCullum (for Kolkata Knight Riders against RCB in 2008), this is the third-highest individual score in IPL history.
The youngster hit 116 of his runs in boundaries, breaking the record of Jonny Bairstow (90) for most runs in an innings by an SRH batter via boundaries. Also, his 10 sixes are the most by an SRH player in an innings, overtaking David Warner's eight.