Indian cricket fans were left in awe as young sensation Abhishek Sharma played a whirlwind knock in the fifth T20I against England at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Displaying sheer dominance, the left-hander smashed his way to a 37-ball century, leaving England’s bowlers clueless.
A Historic Knock at Wankhede
Abhishek Sharma’s innings was nothing short of a masterclass in modern-day T20 batting. He capitalized on the powerplay overs, dismantling England’s pace attack with stunning stroke play. His effortless hitting saw him achieve India’s second-fastest T20I century, just behind Rohit Sharma’s 35-ball ton against Sri Lanka in 2017.
Breaking Records: Fastest Centuries in T20I History
Abhishek’s century (off 37 balls) now ranks as India’s second-fastest in T20Is, surpassing Sanju Samson’s 40-ball century against Bangladesh. However, the overall world record remains with South Africa’s David Miller, who smashed a 35-ball century against Bangladesh in 2017.
A Powerplay Onslaught: Abhishek’s Aggressive Start
From the very first over, Abhishek made his intentions clear. He took on the pace of Jofra Archer and Jamie Overton, finding gaps with ease. The highlight of his innings was his ability to step down the track against express pace, which kept the English bowlers under pressure.
Abhishek Sharma’s brilliant knock included 135 runs off 54 balls, a strike rate of 250.00, with 6 fours and 10 sixes. With this innings, Abhishek Sharma has firmly placed himself in the league of India’s T20 giants. His strike rate and attacking mindset resemble the fearlessness of Yuvraj Singh, while his ability to time the ball mirrors Virat Kohli’s precision.
England’s bowlers, especially Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, were expected to challenge Abhishek with their pace, but he tackled them with aggressive stroke play. His audacity to charge down the track to fast bowlers made a huge difference.
While Abhishek seemed unstoppable, his spectacular innings finally ended when Adil Rashid deceived him with a well-disguised delivery. He departed after scoring 135 off 54 balls, earning applause from both teammates and opponents.
India’s Massive Total of 247/9
Owing to Abhishek’s record-breaking knock, India managed to post a mammoth total of 247/9 in their allotted 20 overs. This proved to be too much for England, who struggled in their chase.
With the T20 World Cup approaching, Abhishek’s innings cements his place in the squad. His fearless approach and ability to perform under pressure make him an asset for India in global tournaments.
Following Abhishek Sharma’s fireworks, cricketing legends and fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to praise his knock.
Fire ❌
Wild Fire 🧨Sensational Abhishek Sharma 👏 #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/OjsYsmuRdN
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) February 2, 2025
⚡️💨 💯 Abhishek Sharma!pic.twitter.com/Kg2L2kdXW2
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) February 2, 2025
Well played @IamAbhiSharma4! That's where I want to see you! 🔥 Proud of you 👊🏻💯#IndVSEng
— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) February 2, 2025
Abishek is becoming one of my favourite batters
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) February 2, 2025
Quote tweet🔥🔥 https://t.co/lcaa4KgQDm
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) February 2, 2025
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