Young opener Abhishek Sharma played an outstanding knock during the fifth T20I between India and England at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. The left-hander scored a brisk hundred that flattened the England’s bowlers.
The knock has been rated quite highly by the former cricketers. Former England skipper Michael Vaughan has rated this knock very highly and even termed it to be better than the unbeaten 82 scored by Virat Kohli against Pakistan.
Virat Kohli’s 82* came in the T20 World Cup 2022 against a full-strength Pakistan bowling attack. The right-hander played an unbelievable knock in front of more than 90,000 fans at the mighty MCG when India was in huge trouble.
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Abhishek Sharma’s 135 better than Virat Kohli’s iconic 82*?
While speaking on Cricbuzz after the fifth T20I between India and England, Michael Vaughan heaped praises on Abhishek Sharma and claimed that he hasn’t seen a better innings. He even exclaimed that a player cannot play a better knock than this one.
“Wonderful player. I don’t think you can play any better than that. If anyone’s played a better T20 innings than that, I’ve not seen it. That was as pure and as stylish as you could possibly ever hope for,” Vaughan exclaimed.
Vaughan praised Abhishek’s game awareness and was in awe of the youngster’s ability to hit both the fast bowlers and the spinners with style and power. Abhishek was devastating in this knock and kept on smashing every bowler he faced in this innings.
“He’s a modern-day flourishing player whose got so much style, he’s got the power, he’s got the skill sets. He has the ability to hit spin and seam. I think his awareness of the game is excellent. I think he reads the play beautifully,” the former England captain added.
Abhishek Sharma has always been a good player of pace bowling but has been slightly susceptible to spin. Before this match, he was dismissed twice to Adil Rashid in four matches. However, this didn’t stop him from taking on England’s lead spinner and he took him to the cleaners.
Abhishek Sharma stays a step ahead of bowler: Michael Vaughan
Further speaking on the segment, Michael Vaughan analyzed how Abhishek Sharma read the bowler’s mind. According to him, Abhishek has the ability to read the bowler and can always stay a step ahead of him.
“If you look at a few of his shots against Jofra Archer, he plays the cut shot for six, and then he realizes Jofra’s going to pitch it up a little bit, so he dances down out of his crease and whacks him over extra cover,” Vaughan observed.
“I think that’s a real all-round player that can obviously play the strokes, but also read what the bowler’s going to try and bowl to him and be one step ahead of that delivery,” he added.
Abhishek Sharma takes India to massive win
Abhishek Sharma slammed 135 off just 54 deliveries in an innings which thoroughly entertained the Mumbai crowd. The 24-year-old opener smashed 7 fours and 13 sixes during his knock.
He used the crease and the feet against the bowlers excellently and put the opposition on the back foot. Abhishek’s knock enabled India to post a mammoth 247-9 on the board which was comfortably defended later.
