When Abhishek Sharma launched the first six of his innings off Shreyas Iyer’s opening over, no one in the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium could have guessed they were witnessing the most explosive individual performance in IPL 2025 history. By the time he reached 141 off just 55 balls — 14 fours, 10 sixes, and a brutal strike rate of 256.36 — the crowd was on its feet, the scoreboard had been rewritten, and Sunrisers Hyderabad had completed one of the greatest chases ever seen in T20 cricket. On April 12, 2025, SRH chased down 246 to beat Punjab Kings by eight wickets with 1.3 overs to spare, turning their season around in a single, unforgettable innings.
A Team on the Brink, Then a Lightning Strike
Just days before this match, SRH looked like a team in freefall. They’d scored 163, 120, and 152 in their previous three games — all losses. Their net run rate sat at -1.629, dead last in the league. Coach Daniel Vettori had admitted they were misreading conditions. The batting order, once feared, had collapsed under pressure. Even Heinrich Klaasen, their finisher, had looked out of sync. Meanwhile, PBKS were flying. Under new captain Shreyas Iyer, they’d won three of four matches, riding high on momentum and the breakout form of opener Priyansh Arya.The PBKS Total: A Firework Show That Backfired
Punjab Kings, batting first, looked unstoppable. Shreyas Iyer played the innings of his life — 141 off 55 balls, matching Abhishek’s numbers almost exactly. He struck sixes with the casual grace of a man playing backyard cricket. Glenn Maxwell added 66 off 37, and Shashank Singh smashed 34 off 11. But the real shock came in the final over. With PBKS at 241/6, Marcus Stoinis took Muhammad Shami for four consecutive sixes — a moment that sent the home crowd into delirium. At 245/6, it felt like a fortress. Until SRH walked out to bat.Abhishek’s Inferno: A Masterclass in Controlled Destruction
Abhishek Sharma didn’t just bat — he detonated. His first 20 runs came in 14 balls. The next 50 in 19. By the 10th over, he was already past 90. His partnership with Travis Head (66 off 43) was pure theatre — 171 runs in just 12.2 overs. Head, often underrated, anchored the middle with elegant placement while Abhishek launched rockets. When Head fell, the stadium held its breath. But Nitish Kumar Reddy exploded for 36 off 13, and Klaasen finished with a 14-ball 21. No one blinked. No one faltered. The chase wasn’t just successful — it was inevitable.
Why This Changes Everything for SRH
This wasn’t just a win. It was a statement. SRH went from being the league’s laughingstock to a team with terrifying firepower. Abhishek’s 141 is now the highest individual score by an Indian in IPL chasing a target over 240. His 10 sixes tied the record for most in a single chase. And critically, it proved their batting isn’t broken — it was just waiting for the right moment. The pressure is off. The confidence is back. With this win, SRH jumped from 10th to 7th in the table. Their net run rate, once a death sentence, is now a weapon.What Went Wrong for PBKS?
The irony? PBKS lost not because they underperformed — they scored the highest total of the season. They lost because their bowling, so sharp all season, suddenly forgot how to contain. Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal were expensive. Lockie Ferguson couldn’t find his rhythm. Even Marco Jansen, their all-rounder, bowled two overs for 48 runs. The strategy was flawed: they trusted spin too late and didn’t attack early. When Abhishek got going, there was no plan B.
What’s Next?
SRH face Mumbai Indians next — a team they’ve beaten only once in their last 10 meetings. But now? They’re dangerous. Abhishek’s form could ignite the entire top order. Meanwhile, PBKS must answer tough questions. Can Iyer carry the team alone? Can their bowlers rediscover their edge? With just six matches left, every game is a playoff decider.Historical Context: Where This Chase Ranks
This 247/2 chase is now the third-highest successful run chase in IPL history. Only the Kolkata Knight Riders’ 247/3 against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2024 and Rohit Sharma’s 209* chase in 2019 top it. But here’s the twist: Abhishek was only 21 years old. He’s the youngest Indian to score a 140+ in a successful IPL chase. And he did it on his home ground, where SRH had lost five of their last six matches. That’s not luck. That’s legacy.Frequently Asked Questions
How does Abhishek Sharma’s 141 compare to other IPL innings?
Abhishek Sharma’s 141 off 55 balls is the highest individual score by an Indian in a successful IPL chase over 240. It ranks as the third-highest successful chase in IPL history and features the most sixes (10) in a single chase by an Indian batter. Only Kieron Pollard’s 141* off 55 in 2019 and David Warner’s 126* off 59 in 2017 had higher strike rates in similar chases.
Why was this win so critical for Sunrisers Hyderabad?
SRH were at the bottom of the table with a -1.629 NRR and had lost three straight games by over 50 runs. This win didn’t just give them points — it restored belief. Their batting, once a liability, now looks lethal. The confidence boost could turn their season around, especially with key players like Klaasen and Head finding form.
What went wrong with Punjab Kings’ bowling attack?
PBKS relied too heavily on spin in the middle overs, but Abhishek and Head targeted Chahal and Ferguson with brutal precision. Arshdeep Singh conceded 62 runs in 3 overs, and Jansen’s final over went for 38. They failed to mix pace and variation, allowing SRH to dominate the powerplay and middle overs simultaneously — a tactical failure.
Is this the start of a new era for SRH’s batting?
Possibly. Abhishek Sharma, now 21, has shown he can anchor and explode. With Head and Klaasen also firing, SRH now have three batters who can win games single-handedly. If they maintain this form, they could challenge for a top-two finish — a dramatic turnaround from their earlier struggles.
How did the crowd react to the record chase?
The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium erupted after every six, with fans chanting Abhishek’s name long after the match ended. Social media trends spiked globally, with #AbhishekSharma141 trending in 12 countries. The 55,000-strong crowd stood for the final over — a rare moment of collective awe in modern IPL history.
What does this mean for Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy?
Iyer’s 141 was brilliant, but his tactical decisions in the chase were questioned. He didn’t rotate strike effectively in the death overs, and his field placements left too many gaps. While his batting remains elite, this loss exposes a gap in his leadership under pressure — a lesson that could define his captaincy moving forward.
