In a breathtaking display of power hitting, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) left the cricket fraternity awestruck with a record-breaking batting performance at their home ground in Hyderabad on a warm Wednesday evening on March 27. Opting to bowl first, the Mumbai Indians (MI) possibly couldn’t fathom the maelstrom of runs that was about to unleash upon them, spearheaded by Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma.
The onslaught began right from the outset. Travis Head, known for his aggressive batting style, showed no mercy to the MI bowlers, racing to an 18-ball fifty – the fastest in the history of Sunrisers Hyderabad. His innings comprised a barrage of boundaries before he eventually fell for a rapid 62 off 24 balls, with a strikerate that sky-rocketed to 258.33.
However, the mayhem did not subside with Head’s dismissal. It was now turn for the young and talented Abhishek Sharma to take center stage. The number three batter continued the carnage, not holding back as he made the stadium his own with an array of exquisite shots. Like Head, Sharma was swift, his timing impeccable, and before the spectators knew it, he had blasted a 16-ball half century, besting Head’s record for the fastest fifty by an SRH player.
The duo were relentless, etching their names in the record books. They became the first pair of batters for any IPL team to hit half-centuries in less than 20 balls in the same match. Their staggering partnership propelled SRH to a colossal 148 runs in the first 10 overs, the highest team total ever at the corresponding stage of an innings in IPL history – a record previously held by Mumbai Indians with 141.
After the whirlwind knocks from Head and Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen decided it was time to dish out his own brand of destruction. Despite the fall of the openers, there was no respite for the MI bowlers as Klaasen played an outstanding innings. His unbeaten 80 off just 34 balls featured a dazzling exhibition of seven sixes, elating the home crowd as SRH posted the highest ever total witnessed in IPL – a staggering 277/2.
Faced with a mountain to climb, Mumbai Indians approached their innings with commendable determination. Their spirited response was commendable as they gave the chase their all. For a brief period, the target appeared in sight as they kept up with the required run rate. With 246 runs on the board after their 20 overs, it was evidence of a valiant effort given that they fell short by only 31 runs. The match, potentially an epic chase, was still a spectacle to remember for the sheer display of batting prowess.
SRH’s bowlers, tasked with defending the mammoth total, held their nerve and executed their strategies to perfection in the death overs. Despite the onslaught, they managed to keep the talented MI batting lineup at bay when it mattered the most.
Aside from the match itself, cricketing personalities such as Sachin Tendulkar and Hardik Pandya were seen giving motivational talks to the MI players post their loss. In another development, various experts including Steve Smith and Tom Moody raised questions about Hardik Pandya’s tactical use of Jasprit Bumrah during the match.
For cricket enthusiasts, the match served not just as another league encounter, but as a spectacle demonstrating the dynamism and unpredictability of the Indian Premier League. As sun set over Hyderabad that day, records were shattered and history was rewritten by the Sunrisers, leaving onlookers and cricket aficionados in utter amazement at the kind of history that was crafted on the pitch.
