'This one is for Orange Army': Abhishek Sharma celebrates maiden IPL hundred in style

+Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Abhishek Sharma’s explosive maiden IPL century, a blistering 100 off 40 balls, powered Sunrisers Hyderabad against Punjab Kings. His knock, the third-fastest by an Indian in IPL history, featured a heartfelt dedication to the ‘Orange Army.’ Sharma’s spectacular 171-run opening partnership with Travis Head set the stage for a crucial victory.

NEW DELHI: Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Abhishek Sharma lit up the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday with a blistering maiden IPL century, scoring 100 off just 40 balls against Punjab Kings in their Indian Premier League 2025 match.

The 24-year-old left-hander’s explosive knock is now the third-fastest century by an Indian in IPL history, behind only Yusuf Pathan (37 balls) and Priyansh Arya (39 balls). The overall record-holder is Chris Gayle (30 balls).

Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

What made Abhishek’s ton even more special was the way he celebrated it. After reaching the milestone, he pulled a folded note from his pocket that read, “This one is for Orange Army,” dedicating the landmark innings to the fans of Sunrisers Hyderabad. The gesture instantly went viral and drew loud cheers from the home crowd.

Fastest hundred in IPL (by balls faced)

30 – Chris Gayle (RCB) vs PWI, Bengaluru, 2013

37 – Yusuf Pathan (RR) vs MI, Mumbai BS, 2010

38 – David Miller (KXIP) vs RCB, Mohali, 2013

39 – Travis Head (SRH) vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2024

39 – Priyansh Arya (PBKS) vs CSK, Mullapur, 2025

40 – Abhishek Sharma (SRH) vs PBKS, Hyderabad, 2025*

Chasing a record 246 against Punjab Kings, Abhishek, who was retained for Rs 14 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, put on a spectacular 171-run opening partnership with Australian batter Travis Head (66), which is now the second-highest opening stand in SRH’s history.

His innings was packed with clean hitting, powerful strokes, and a sense of purpose as he led the charge for Hyderabad in a must-win clash. It was a statement knock, not just for the scoreboard — but also for the fans.

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.Read More

End of Article