Mumbai, Feb 2 (UNI) In a breathtaking display of power hitting, Abhishek Sharma steered India to a formidable total of 247/9 in their 20 overs against England in the fifth T20I at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, England faced an onslaught they could barely contain.
Abhishek's remarkable innings of 135 runs off just 54 balls took centre stage, as he decimated the England attack with 7 fours and 13 sixes. His knock not only guided India to a commanding position but also set a new record for the highest individual score by an Indian in T20Is, surpassing Shubman Gill’s previous best of 126.
The youngster also claimed the title of the fastest T20I century by an Indian, reaching the milestone in just 37 balls, further cementing his status as a rising star in the format.
Abhishek's fireworks were ended in the 18th over when he was dismissed for a well-played 135, caught by Jofra Archer off Adil Rashid’s bowling. However, the damage had already been done, with India in an unassailable position at that point.
Axar Patel added 15 runs off 11 balls before being run out in the final over, while Shivam Dube’s explosive cameo of 30 runs off 13 balls featured 2 sixes and 3 fours. Despite the fall of wickets at the other end, India’s scoring never slowed, thanks to the efforts of Dube and Abhishek.
Contributions from Tilak Varma (24 off 15 balls) and Rinku Singh (9 off 6 balls) kept the scoreboard ticking, although Hardik Pandya’s brief stay ended with him being dismissed for 9 (6 balls). Suryakumar Yadav, continuing his struggles in the series, was dismissed for just 2 off 3 balls, caught behind off Brydon Carse.
The England bowlers had a tough time dealing with the Indian onslaught, with Carse being the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3 wickets for 38 runs. Archer, despite conceding 55 runs, had a decent contribution, while Adil Rashid took 1 wicket for 41 runs, and Mark Wood grabbed 2 wickets for 32 runs.
India’s aggressive start was evident in their Powerplay total of 95/1, the highest ever in T20I cricket for India, breaking their previous record of 82/2 against Scotland in 2021.
As the teams break for the innings, the match is set up for an electrifying chase. With one of their highest totals posted, India has placed the pressure squarely on England’s batsmen to take on this mammoth target.
Brief scorecard: India 247/9 in 20 overs - Abhishek Sharma 135 (54 balls), Shivam Dube 30 (13 balls), Tilak Varma 24 (15 balls); Brydon Carse: 3/38, Jofra Archer: 1/55.
UNI BDN SS