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Abhishek Sharma, vice-captain to the Hyderabad Sunrisers and an explosive opener, got in trouble with the IPL match referee when the team faced the Kolkata Knight Riders on April 2, 2026, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

The left-handed player was found guilty of the Level 1 offense in Article 2.3 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which addresses the use of audible obscenities or profane language that could be audible to the spectators or the television viewers—frequently picked up by stump microphones.

The initially reported incident allegedly happened after Abhishek protested following an incidental controversial catch call involving TV umpire Nitin Menon. He pleaded guilty and never contested the sentence.

Abhishek has had a part of his match fee suspended 25 percent as punishment and one demerit point. In Level 1 offenses, the decision made by the match referee is final and binding.

The off-field penalty did not stop Abhishek, and he was instrumental in helping SRH to perform highly in the match. This becomes the most recent in the sequence of on-field discipline concerns in IPL 2026, when the league remains implacable in its application of its code of conduct to keep the spirit of the game.