Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins termed Abhishek Sharma as an ‘amazing’ talent and said he would refrain from bowling to the southpaw after a four-wicket win against Punjab Kings here on Sunday. Hyderabad finished their league engagements in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with 17 points from 14 matches and bolstered hopes of finishing in the top two. The top two spots will be decided after the conclusion of the final league-stage match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati.
Reflecting upon the season so far, Cummins lauded the youngsters including Abhishek Sharma for their consistent performances in the tournament.
“It’s pretty cool, it’s awesome. We have won 6 out of 7 here, it has been great. I didn’t know many guys coming into this season, but we have played great cricket and had some fun. He (Abhishek) is amazing. I wouldn’t want to bowl against him. He’s scary,” Cummins said during the post-match presentation at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Abhishek’s blistering 66 runs off 28 balls was studded with five boundaries and six maximums and helped SRH earn two points in front of the enthusiastic home spectators. Heinrich Klaasen (42), Nitish Reddy (37), and Rahul Tripathi (33) also chipped in to take the side over the line while chasing 215.
Cummins is looking forward to the knockout stage of the tournament and is excited to play his first IPL final.
“Nitish is a class player, looks mature beyond his age, he is perfect for the top-order. Really satisfying. I haven’t played in finals before. Playing some really good cricket, excited for what’s ahead,” the Australian pacer said.
Sharing his thoughts on his knock, Abhishek said he wanted to capitalise on his form and contribute to the team’s success. “It’s a matter of time for any batsman. My days are going good so I should utilise it for my team. I wanted to contribute as the target was big today. I think I have told this before, during SMAT (Syed Mushtaq Ali Tournament) I was clear how I was going to play and dominate (during IPL),” the opener said.
“He (Brian Lara) was our coach as well, have done some work with him, and he’s in touch. That’s helping me now. Just waiting for the loose balls, I am going hard against them and trying to put them (bowlers) under pressure,” he added.
The 23-year-old thanked the home crowd and pitch curator for making batting-friendly wickets throughout the season. “I was talking to Nitish, the more I was waiting it was getting easier for me. I was ready for that (playing against Harshal). I was trying to take a single but fortunately got a boundary (one of the balls.) I want to thank the crowd, with special mention to the pitch curator and groundsmen. They have given pitches that have suited our style,” Abishek concluded.
