Abhishek Sharma's 135 Impresses Mentor Yuvraj Singh in India’s Victory Over England
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Synopsis
Abhishek Sharma's stunning 135 runs and 2 wickets led India to a 150-run victory against England in the T20I. He credits mentor Yuvraj Singh for his success, demonstrating aggressive batting. This historic performance marks a significant milestone in his career.
Key Takeaways
- Abhishek Sharma scored 135 runs off 54 balls.
- He took 2 wickets for 3 runs against England.
- Yuvraj Singh praised him for his innings.
- Achieved 13 sixes, setting a new T20I record for India.
- Expressed gratitude towards his coach and captain for support.
Mumbai, Feb 2 (NationPress) Opening batsman Abhishek Sharma delivered an explosive performance, scoring a remarkable 135 runs off 54 balls and taking 2 wickets for just 3 runs, leading India to a commanding 150-run victory against England in the fifth and final T20I. He expressed that his mentor, Yuvraj Singh, would have been delighted with his innings as he batted until the 18th over at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
The left-handed batsman started the innings aggressively, smashing boundaries against Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, but moderated his pace during the middle overs before unleashing a flurry of big hits towards the end, eventually departing for 135 in the 18th over. In total, he hit an astonishing 13 sixes, marking a record for the most sixes in a T20I innings by an Indian player.
“I believe Yuvraj Singh would be quite pleased today. He has always encouraged me to bat through the 15th and 20th overs, and I have worked to embody that,” Abhishek remarked.
Yuvraj took to social media to commend the young talent for his historic innings, posting, “Well played @IamAbhiSharma4! That’s where I want to see you! Proud of you,” on ‘X’.
The 24-year-old from Amritsar, Punjab, gained recognition during IPL 2024 for his stellar performances with Sunrisers Hyderabad, and expressed gratitude towards skipper Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir for their unwavering support.
Abhishek raced to the second-fastest fifty in just 17 balls and the second-fastest hundred in 37 balls by an Indian, propelling India to a staggering total of 247/9 in 20 overs. He later returned to take two wickets, with Mohammed Shami claiming 3-25, which helped India dismiss England for 97 runs, securing the match by 150 runs with 57 balls remaining. He narrowly missed breaking Yuvraj Singh's record for the fastest fifty off 15 balls and Rohit Sharma's record for the quickest century off 35 balls.
Describing his innings as a memorable moment, Abhishek noted that his mother and sister were present in the stadium cheering him on. He credited T20I skipper Suryakumar and coach Gambhir for supporting his aggressive approach. “It was truly special, representing my country is always a wonderful feeling. When I sense it’s my day, I tend to attack from the first delivery. The coach and captain have always encouraged this mindset,” Abhishek added.
Regarding his ability to connect well-timed shots against England's premier fast bowlers, Abhishek mentioned that he simply reacted instinctively to the ball.
“When the opposition bowlers are delivering at 140 or 150-plus, you need to be prepared a little earlier. Just react to the ball and execute my shots. Hitting a world-class bowler over the covers [off Archer] is gratifying, but I also enjoyed my shots against Adil Rashid,” concluded Abhishek.
