IPL 2024: Abhishek Sharma namedrops Jasprit Bumrah as toughest bowler he has faced

Abhishek Sharma has hit the most sixes (41) in IPL 2024.

Young Indian batter Abhishek Sharma, who has been on fire for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, has named 30-year-old Jasprit Bumrah as the most difficult bowler he has faced thus far.

In the IPL 2024, Abhishek Sharma has been scoring runs for fun, as he has yielded 467 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 209.41, including a season-high 41 sixes. He has also formed a deadly opening partnership with Travis Head, which has helped SRH post totals of 277 and 287 on the board in the IPL 2024.

SRH qualified for the IPL 2024 playoffs after rain played spoilsport in their home game against Gujarat Titans. They further confirmed their top-two finish after defeating Punjab Kings in their final league match. Abhishek scored his third half-century of the season on Sunday, helping SRH end their league stage campaign with a four-wicket win over Punjab Kings.

Chasing Punjab’s tough 214 for 5, Abhishek provided the quick start that SRH needed, especially when Head went for a first-ball duck. However, Abhishek stuck to his attacking style of play, smashing 66 off 28 balls, including five fours and six sixes.

SRH won the game easily and finished second in the IPL 2024 points standings. They will now face the table-toppers, Kolkata Knight Riders, in Qualifier 1. The winners will advance to the final, while the losers will face the winners of the Eliminator, which pits Rajasthan Royals versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

“It is difficult because you can’t tell, because you can’t tell what he’ll bowl”- Abhishek Sharma on Jasprit Bumrah

Abhishek and his SRH teammate Heinrich Klaasen were full of praise for Mumbai Indians (MI) right-arm pacer Jasprit Bumrah, and both picked him as the toughest bowler. Despite the poor performance of the MI team in IPL 2024, where they could only win 4 matches and finish at the bottom of the points table, Jasprit Bumrah shined brightly for them with the ball.

Burmah astonished everyone with his bowling, finishing the season with 20 wickets in 13 games. In a tournament where hitters are scoring runs for pleasure, Bumrah has only surrendered runs at an economy rate of 6.48, the best of any bowler who has bowled at least five overs.

In reply to a young fan’s query, Klaasen said, “For me, Bumrah, at this moment is difficult. He is phenomenal; he is executing all his deliveries, and that slow ball of his is so difficult to pick up. He doesn’t give you any hints. A lot of bowlers you can see it somehow, but Bumrah is nailing everything, so at this moment, Bumrah for me is probably the toughest bowler to face.”

Abhishek echoed Klaasen’s views and added, “I think the same for me as well, because the kind of bowling he is doing – it is swinging. He is bowling yorkers and bouncing the ball as well. So as a batsman, it is difficult because you can’t tell what he is going to bowl, so for me as well, it’s Jasprit Bumrah.”

SRH will face KKR in the Qualifier 1 match on May 21, Tuesday.

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