NEW DELHI: Young
Abhishek Sharma
's brilliant 46-ball century drove India to a commanding total of 234 for two against Zimbabwe in the second T20 International in Harare on Sunday. This total is India's highest against Zimbabwe in T20Is, a significant improvement following their collapse in the first game of the series.
Abhishek, making a strong comeback after a four-ball duck on debut, showcased his batting prowess by hitting eight sixes and seven fours in his innings.
His aggressive performance was instrumental in propelling India's score. He formed a crucial 137-run partnership for the second wicket with
Ruturaj Gaikwad
, who contributed an unbeaten 77 off 47 balls.
A notable moment came when Abhishek was given a reprieve on 27 after Wellington Masakadza dropped a catch off Luke Jongwe. Seizing this opportunity, he continued to dominate the bowlers.
Abhishek opened his international run account with a six against off-spinner Brian Bennett. He reached his half-century with another six off medium pacer Dion Myers in a 28-run over that marked a turning point in the innings.
One standout shot was an inside-out six off Sikandar Raza, which demonstrated his finesse. However, he was equally capable of power-hitting, as evidenced by back-to-back sixes off left-arm spinner Masakadza. He reached his century with a full toss guided for a maximum and was dismissed on the very next delivery.
Upon returning to the dug-out, Abhishek was congratulated by his skipper and best friend
Shubman Gill
, who had a quieter game.
Abhishek's innings gained momentum after the first 10 overs when India was at 74 for 1. The subsequent five overs saw India add 78 runs, primarily driven by Abhishek's aggressive approach.
Poor fielding cost Zimbabwe dearly, as they also missed a catch of Gaikwad, who continued the onslaught after Abhishek's departure. Gaikwad added 87 runs off 36 balls for the third wicket with
Rinku Singh
, who scored 48 not out off 22 balls, including five sixes.
The significant contributions from Abhishek Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Rinku Singh led India to a formidable total, with Zimbabwe struggling to contain the flow of runs due to lackluster fielding and bowling.
English (US) ·