Guwahati, Jan 25 (IANS) Explosive Team India opener Abhishek Sharma smashed the second-fastest T20I half-century ever by an Indian, reaching the mark in just 14 balls during the third T20I against New Zealand here at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Sunday as India clinched a thumping victory riding on the youngster’s power-hitting prowess.
Abhishek’s blistering innings featured five fours and four sixes, eclipsing the previous record held by Hardik Pandya, who had registered a 16-ball fifty for India in T20Is. The fastest fifty by an Indian in T20 cricket remains Yuvraj Singh’s 12-ball blitz against England in 2007, a knock that has gone down in T20I history.
Chasing 154, India raced to 94/2 in the powerplay, largely thanks to Abhishek’s fiery knock. The 25-year-old remained unbeaten on 68 off just 20 deliveries, guiding India to a commanding eight-wicket victory and reinforcing his status as one of the team’s most explosive batting talents.
Speaking about his remarkable innings, Abhishek said after the match, “That’s what my team wants from me and I just want to execute all the time. But obviously, it’s not easy to do it every time, but I think it’s all about mental as well and the atmosphere you get around your dressing room as well. That’s more than impossible for anyone (to break Yuvraj’s fastest T20 fifty record), but still, you never know. Any batsman could do it because I think all the batters have been batting really well in this series as well and going forward, it’s going to be fun.”
On hitting a six off the first ball again, he added, “I wouldn’t say it’s like I want to go from the first ball. It’s just the instinct I get in between the wickets. I think about the bowler if he wants to get out on my first ball, then what he could bowl to me and that’s always there in my mind and I just want to play on that ball.”
Explaining his innovative footwork, Abhishek stated, “If you see that, that’s all about the field placement because I never step out to the leg-side if I don’t get fielding on … there’s a leg side, because if I get room for myself, then I have the whole ground off-side for me. So, that’s always in my mind. I just want to play with the field.”
Abhishek’s dazzling display not only helped India seal a dominant win but also announced him as a rising force in the team’s T20 setup ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
–IANS
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