NEW DELHI: Abhishek Sharma rewrote record books with his scintillating knock in the fifth T20I against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
Abhishek hit a brutal 135 to set up a crushing 150-run win over England and seal the series 4-1 and his incredible 54-ball knock, studded with 13 sixes, fired India, who clinched the series in the fourth T20I, to 247/9.
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On Monday, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) shared a video on X where the opener looked back at his knock and also explained his unique celebration with his index finger and thumb.
Abhishek says in the video, “When I reached a fifty I celebrated in that way, this is love. I really enjoyed my knock because before this, I didn’t even have a thirty-run knock to my name in India. I used to think how I would celebrate reaching a hundred but when I reached it, I was totally blank, the emotions that came out were natural.”
Abhishek dominated a partnership of 115 for the second wicket with Tilak Varma and raced to his fifty in 17 balls with a six and then reached his second T20 century for India in 37 deliveries, missing the record of Rohit Sharma’s fastest T20I hundred by an Indian by just two deliveries.
Abhishek continues in the video, “I know he (Rohit) holds the record, I know that on my day even if the first ball is there to hit, I will hit and today was my day so I am very grateful. The way Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir have supported me, it looks like they have more trust in me than I have in myself. So obviously it is a big motivation and when the captain and the coach say that an aggressive intent should be there, I like it coming from them. With that kind of support, I would say similar days are just around the corner for other youngsters also.”
Abhishek was brutal in his knock and, with Tilak Varma (24), took 25 runs from one Jamie Overton over, the pair putting on 115 runs for the second wicket.
Abhishek also took two wickets in the only over he bowled with left-arm spin as India bowled out England for 97 for their second biggest T20 victory by runs.
Talking about the Wankhede crowd, Abhishek said, “The crowd here supports India all the time whatever match it is and I would say it’s one of my lucky grounds.”
India and England now head into three one-day internationals series starting February 6 in Nagpur.
The series is a warm-up for the 50-over Champions Trophy starting February 19 in Pakistan and Dubai.
