Raghu Sharma Mimics Abhishek Sharma’s Iconic Celebration in IPL 2026

A Memorable Debut at the Wankhede

The IPL 2026 season continues to deliver moments of pure entertainment, and the latest addition to the highlight reel comes from Mumbai Indians’ promising recruit, Raghu Sharma. Making his debut for the franchise at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, the young bowler claimed his first-ever IPL wicket in a high-stakes clash against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

With LSG dominating the early exchanges in the first innings, Raghu Sharma stepped up to provide a crucial breakthrough. He managed to dismiss the dangerous middle-order batter Akshat Raghuwanshi, providing a much-needed lift to the Mumbai Indians side. However, it was what happened immediately after the dismissal that captured the attention of fans and social media alike.

The Viral Celebration

As part of a lighthearted celebration, Raghu pulled a small slip of paper from his pocket and held it up for all to see. The gesture was met with confusion and amusement on the field, most notably from MI’s stand-in captain, Suryakumar Yadav, who was seen comically attempting to read the mysterious message written on the note. The moment quickly went viral, drawing instant comparisons to a similar act performed by Abhishek Sharma in 2025.

During the previous IPL season, Abhishek Sharma celebrated his explosive 40-ball century for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Punjab Kings by revealing a note that read, “This one is for Orange Army.” While Raghu’s note-based celebration lacked the same thematic sentiment, its spontaneity and the reaction from Suryakumar Yadav provided a hilarious contrast to the intensity of the match.

Tactical Battles and Powerplay Fireworks

The match itself was a high-scoring thriller, characterized by aggressive batting from the Lucknow Super Giants. Despite the Wankhede pitch offering a slight hint of grass and extra bounce for the new ball, LSG openers Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis maintained a blistering pace. Suryakumar Yadav, standing in for the injured Hardik Pandya, was forced to shuffle his bowling options early.

Yadav made an aggressive move by bringing in Afghan spinner Allah Ghazanfar as early as the third over to replace Trent Boult. The gamble paid off immediately, with Josh Inglis finding Suryakumar Yadav, who completed a sharp catch. However, the respite was brief for the Mumbai bowlers. Jasprit Bumrah faced the heat in the fourth over, leaking 21 runs to Mitchell Marsh, followed by Will Jacks conceding another 21 runs in the fifth over.

Record-Breaking Powerplay

By the end of the powerplay, Lucknow Super Giants had amassed a staggering 90/1—their highest powerplay total of the 2026 season. The promotion of Nicholas Pooran to the number three position proved to be a masterstroke for LSG, as they continued to dismantle the MI bowling attack.

• 90/1 vs MI, Wankhede, 2026
• 80/1 vs CSK, Chennai, 2023
• 77/1 vs SRH, Hyderabad, 2025
• 74/2 vs PBKS, Mohali, 2023
• 72/0 vs GT, Ahmedabad, 2023

Leadership Update

It is worth noting that the Mumbai Indians were without their regular skipper, Hardik Pandya, for this encounter. The franchise confirmed that Pandya was sidelined due to a back spasm, placing the leadership responsibilities squarely on the shoulders of Suryakumar Yadav for the match against LSG. Despite the pressure of the captaincy and the onslaught from the LSG batters, the game will likely be remembered for the lighthearted spirit of debutant Raghu Sharma, who certainly left an indelible mark on his first IPL outing.