Abhishek Sharma endured another disappointing outing in a high-pressure knockout game as the explosive Sunrisers Hyderabad opener was dismissed for a duck during the IPL 2026 Eliminator against Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday (May 27) at Mullanpur, New Chandigarh.
Chasing a mammoth target of 244 after Rajasthan Royals piled up 243/8 in 20 overs, all eyes were on to provide SRH with the sort of flying start that has defined his aggressive batting approach over the last few seasons. Instead, the left-handed batter lasted just two deliveries.
Playing in front of his home crowd, Abhishek was caught behind by Dhruv Jurel off the bowling of Jofra Archer in the very first over of the innings, leaving Sunrisers Hyderabad under immediate pressure in one
of the biggest games of the season.
The dismissal added another unwanted statistic to Abhishek Sharma's difficult 2026 campaign.
Most Ducks in a Calendar Year in T20s by an Indian
| Player | Ducks | Year | Innings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abhishek Sharma | 8* | 2026 | 28 |
| Rohit Sharma | 6 | 2018 | 32 |
| Sanju Samson | 6 | 2024 | 32 |
Abhishek has now registered eight ducks in T20 cricket in 2026 - the most ever by an Indian batter in a calendar year. The unwanted record underlines the high-risk nature of his batting approach, which often produces explosive starts but also leaves him vulnerable early in innings.
Abhishek Sharma's Poor Record in IPL Knockouts Continues
The eliminator failure also extended Abhishek Sharma's struggles in IPL playoff matches.
Despite establishing himself as one of the league's most destructive PowerPlay batters in recent seasons, knockout games have consistently exposed his inconsistency under pressure.
Abhishek Sharma in IPL Knockouts/Playoffs
| Score | Balls |
|---|---|
| 3 | 4 |
| 12 | 5 |
| 2 | 5 |
| 0 | 2 |
Across four IPL playoff innings, Abhishek has failed to cross even 15 runs, a surprising trend for a player often viewed as one of India's most fearless young T20 batters.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Stunning Blitz Stuns SRH
Earlier in the evening, 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi produced one of the most astonishing innings in IPL history to power Rajasthan Royals to 243/8 after SRH captain Pat Cummins invited RR to bat first.
The teenage batter smashed 97 off just 29 deliveries, hammering five fours and 12 sixes at an incredible strike rate of 334.48.
His breathtaking innings completely dismantled Hyderabad's bowling attack and helped RR race to 125 inside the first eight overs.
Sooryavanshi also scripted history during the knock by surpassing Chris Gayle's long-standing record for most sixes in a single IPL season. The teenager moved past Gayle's tally of 59 sixes from IPL 2012 during the course of his innings.
Dhruv Jurel provided further momentum with a blazing 50 off 21 balls, while captain Riyan Parag chipped in with 26 off just 12 deliveries.
For SRH, Praful Hinge was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/54 despite the relentless assault from RR's batting lineup.
Jofra Archer Strikes Early in Huge Chase
Defending 244, Rajasthan Royals needed an immediate breakthrough - and Archer delivered instantly.
The England pacer generated sharp bounce and movement to force Abhishek Sharma into an edge behind the stumps, silencing the Hyderabad crowd and giving RR the perfect start in the knockout clash.
With SRH requiring one of the biggest successful chases in IPL playoff history, Abhishek's early dismissal placed enormous pressure on the middle order right from the opening over.
For a batter known for fearless starts and attacking intent, it became another painful knockout outing at the worst possible moment.
