NEW DELHI:
Abhishek Sharma
's outstanding century in his second T20I match not only made him the highest scorer for India against Zimbabwe in
T20Is
but also set a new record for the quickest century by an Indian batsman in this format, achieved in just two innings.
Sharma, taking just two innings to hit a century for India in T20Is, surpassed Deepak Hooda (three innings) and KL Rahul (four innings) as the fastest to achieve this milestone.
He reached his century with three consecutive sixes, scoring his first 50 runs in 33 balls and his next 50 in a mere 13 balls.
With this knock, Abhishek, at 23 years and 307 days, has joined an elite list of young Indians to score a century in T20Is, following closely behind
Suresh Raina
(23 years and 156 days), Shubman Gill (23 years and 146 days), and
Yashasvi Jaiswal
(21 years and 279 days).
Abhishek Sharma's innings in Harare 2024 also marked the fourth
fastest century
for India in T20Is, joining the ranks of KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, and
Rohit Sharma
, the leader on the respective list.
Winning the toss, India opted to bat first, and the opening partnership couldn't grow long, with Shubman Gill falling early to Blessing Muzarabani. However, Abhishek Sharma, partnering with
Ruturaj Gaikwad
, ignited the innings with his aggressive intent and calculated strokeplay.
Abhishek's intent was evident from the outset as he launched Brian Bennett for a six and continued to score freely. Despite some early pressure from Zimbabwe's bowlers, he maintained his composure and found boundaries with precision. His partnership with Gaikwad flourished, crossing the 100-run mark, with Abhishek leading the charge.
He was particularly severe on
Wellington Masakadza
, dispatching him for three consecutive sixes en route to his century. Abhishek reached the milestone in style with a flick over fine leg.
With Abhishek's 100 coming off just 46 balls, studded with seven fours and eight sixes, his aggressive batting put immense pressure on Zimbabwe's bowlers, who struggled to contain him.
Ruturaj Gaikwad played a supporting role, rotating the strike effectively and allowing Abhishek to dominate the proceedings. Abhishek's innings came to a dramatic end when he tried to cut Masakadza and edged the ball to Dion Myers.
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