This article from the Times of India details an “unwanted” milestone for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) opener Abhishek Sharma during an IPL 2026 match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 13, 2026.
The Dismissal In a clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a golden duck. Facing Royals pacer Jofra Archer, Abhishek charged down the track on the very first ball of the innings but only managed a thick top edge. The catch was easily taken by Ravi Bishnoi in the deep, leaving the home crowd in silence.
Historic Lows for Abhishek Sharma
-
Most Ducks in a Year: This was Abhishek’s 7th duck in 2026 (in just 18 innings), the most by any player in a single calendar year in T20 history.
-
Surpassing Legends: He broke the previous Indian record of 6 ducks in a calendar year, held by Rohit Sharma (2018) and Sanju Samson (2024).
-
SRH History: Abhishek became only the second SRH player to be dismissed for a first-ball duck in an IPL match, joining Shikhar Dhawan (who did so in the 2018 Qualifier 1).
Rajasthan Royals’ Dominance The dismissal highlighted the Royals’ incredible knack for early breakthroughs:
-
Early Wickets: This marked the 24th time RR has taken a wicket before conceding a run—an IPL record.
-
First-Ball Strikes: It was the 12th time the Royals have struck on the very first ball of an innings.
-
Archer’s Impact: This was the 4th time Jofra Archer has taken a wicket on the first ball of an IPL innings, placing him second on the all-time list behind Mohammed Shami (5).
Match Context Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag won the toss and elected to bowl. The Royals made two changes, bringing in Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Tushar Deshpande. SRH included Praful Hinge in their starting XI, while Ishan Kishan captained the side in the absence of a regular leader.
