Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) opener Abhishek Sharma Despite playing an important role in his team’s spectacular 65-run victory, he is in trouble. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) In ipl 2026. The young opening batsman has been punished for breaching the league’s code of conduct after his visible disappointment following his controversial dismissal at Eden Gardens.
The IPL Governing Council confirmed that Abhishek has been fined 25 percent of his match fee and given one demerit point. The fine is estimated to be between ₹12-15 lakh, which is a huge blow for the 25-year-old player. Importantly, this is not his first offense – he also faced disciplinary action during the previous season.
With this latest demerit point added to his record, Abhishek will now need to be cautious. According to IPL rules, accumulating four demerit points in a season can automatically result in a one-match suspension, meaning the incident serves as a serious warning for future players.
Why was sanction given against Abhishek Sharma?
The disciplinary action stems from an incident during the ninth over of SRH’s innings. Abhishek, who was in the middle of the fast innings, attempted a pull shot off Blessing Muzarabani. The ball was heading towards deep square leg, where Varun Chakravarthy attempted to dive to complete a low catch.
The on-field umpire was unsure about the validity of the catch and referred the decision to the third umpire. After review from multiple angles, the call was upheld, with the benefit of the doubt going in favor of the fielder.
Abhishek did not like this decision. Looking disappointed, he reacted strongly while returning to the pavilion. His gestures and use of inappropriate language were clearly caught by the stump microphone and live broadcast.
This violated Article 2.3 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which specifically prohibits the use of “offensive, obscene or profane language” audible to the spectators.
An IPL statement confirmed the action: “Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder Abhishek Sharma has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee and also earned one demerit point for a breach of the IPL Code of Conduct… He admitted a Level 1 offense under Article 2.3 and accepts the sanction of the Match Referee. For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee’s decision is final and binding.” Read the statement.
The case was quickly closed by accepting the sanction, but it highlighted how closely player behavior is monitored in modern cricket.
Also read: IPL 2026 – Fans react as SRH crushes KKR at Eden Gardens
Abhishek’s brilliant innings is surrounded by controversies!
Unfortunately, the penalty overshadowed Abhishek’s brilliant performance. The left-handed batsman looked in complete control during his brief stay at the crease and scored 48 runs in just 21 balls at a strike rate of over 220.
His innings included four fours and four sixes, showing his ability to take on the bowlers right from the start. Along with Travis Head, who scored a quickfire 46, Abhishek helped SRH post an opening partnership of 82 runs in just five overs – a start that dictated the course of the innings.
Despite being just two runs short of his half-century, Abhishek achieved an important feat. He became the first Indian batsman to hit 100 sixes for SRH in IPL history, taking his tally to 101 and second on the franchise list behind David Warner.
SRH eventually took advantage of the strong foundation laid by their openers Posted a strong score of 226/8. Heinrich Klaasen’s 52 and Nitish Kumar Reddy’s quickfire 39 ensured that the pace never slowed down.
In reply, KKR struggled to chase down the tough target. Although Finn Allen and Angkrish Raghuvanshi showed some resistance, routine wickets derailed the target. The hosts were eventually bowled out for 161 in 16 overs, giving SRH a comprehensive win.
Also read: IPL 2026 – Fans react as SRH crushes KKR at Eden Gardens
