Abhishek Sharma, playing just his second T20I, replicated the no-holds-barred approach he showcased in IPL 2024 to enthrall the Harare crowd with a match-winning 46-ball ton. His century ensured the series was level as India handed Zimbabwe a proper pummeling in the second T20I.
After completing his fifty in 33 balls, Abhishek took just 13 more deliveries to reach the magical number. It was the joint-third-fastest hundred for India in men’s T20Is, during which he smashed seven fours and eight sixes.
Abhishek became the fastest Indian batter, in terms of innings, to score a century for India in the shortest format. He also surpassed the tally of most sixes by an Indian in T20Is this year (50), going past Rohit Sharma’s tally of 46.
The stylish southpaw became the first Indian to complete his century in men’s international cricket by hitting three consecutive sixes. Shubman Gill achieved the feat as well, but in that case the triplet of sixes took him to 200 in an ODI against New Zealand in 2023.
Speaking in the afterglow of his record-shattering ton, Abhishek credited the Indian Premier League for ensuring a smooth transition for youngsters who make the cut to the national side. “I think IPL plays a big role in this because as a youngster, as a debutant, we didn’t feel much pressure when we came to represent the country,” he remarked.
Starting off in a way he is best known for 🔥🙌#SonySportsNetwork #ZIMvIND #TeamIndia | @IamAbhiSharma4 pic.twitter.com/10TXtOta1N
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 7, 2024
