Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra showered praise on the opening duo of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head after Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Punjab Kings by eight wickets at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad in the ongoing IPL 2025 on Saturday.
Chasing a huge score of 246 runs, Head and Sharma returned to their previous best, adding a quickfire alliance of 171 runs off just 74 balls.
While Travis Head scored 66 runs off 37 balls, Sharma smashed 141 runs off just 55 balls with the help of 14 fours and 10 sixes. The Indian batter played one of the best knocks in the IPL history as almost all of his shots came off.
“Navaratri is over, and the powers have woken up now. Travishek have returned and have made history. They made a 246-run target so small. Abhishek Sharma, take a bow, sir. Luck was slightly with him as he got caught off a no-ball, but it’s not his fault. Zero sixes in the first five matches, and then only sixes. He hit 10 sixes,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
Sharma reached his century off just 40 balls but also had the rub of the green as he was dismissed on a no-ball by Yash Thakur.
“There was a massive moment. The hitting had started, but then Yash Thakur came as an Impact Sub. Abhishek was caught in the deep, but it was a no-ball. You sometimes realize how a small mistake can make such a huge impact,” he observed.
The renowned commentator tipped Sharma’s knock as one of the best in the run-chase in the IPL.
“I like a few things about Abhishek Sharma. Firstly, he holds the bat very high. You rarely get openers who hold the bat at the top. The backlift is very good, and the downswing is absolutely beautiful. I dare say, the best innings in a run chase. I might not have seen one better than this,” Chopra elaborated.
On the other hand, the cricket analyst praised PBKS opener Priyansh Arya, who scored a fine cameo of 13-ball 36.
“Priyansh Arya is a special talent. The pick-up six he hit off Pat Cummins’ bowling, my jaw dropped. I didn’t have words as I had not seen such a shot. He is an uncapped kid, and Cummins is Australia’s captain, and he hit him for a six like that. He kept hitting, and Prabhsimran Singh was also hitting,” he said in the same video.
Furthermore, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer continued his purple patch as he scored an impressive knock of 82 runs off just 36 balls.
“Shreyas Iyer played an excellent knock. He is actually a phenomenal player and is in excellent form. It was slightly heartbreaking that he didn’t score a hundred. Nehal Wadhera played well for some time. Stoinis hit four consecutive sixes in the end. When you reach 245, you feel you are invincible,” Chopra observed.
Sunrisers Hyderabad will next take on Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Thursday.
