Abhishek Sharma’s T20I hundred in just his second game was the least innings taken by an Indian to reach the three-figure mark in the shortest format.
New Delhi: Abhishek Sharma’s parents erupted in joy after their son smashed a maiden international century in the second T20I against Zimbabwe on Sunday, the video of which went viral on social media. Having scored a duck on his debut a day before, the Sunrisers Hyderabad batter made up for his lost opportunity with a 47-ball 100, thus contributing heavily in India’s 100-run win over the opposition.
Besides Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad scored an unbeaten 77 (47b, 11×4, 1×6) while Rinku Singh smashed a 22-ball 48 as India posted an imposing 234/2. In reply, Zimbabwe ended up at 134 all out without much fight, leveling the five-match series 1-1. For India, pacers Mukesh Kumar (3/37), Avesh Khan (3/15) and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi (2/11) led the bowling.
Sitting in front of the television, Sharma’s parents erupted in joy soon after their son hit three consecutive sixes to reach the magical three figure. His sister Komal was caught dancing in the background. The day certainly belonged to Abhishek, who mixed grace and power in equal measure in an innings, embellished with eight sixes and seven fours.
It made a normally stylish Ruturaj Gaikwad (77 not out off 47 balls) look pale in comparison during their 137-run stand for the second wicket. His innings would also increase the headache for skipper Shubman Gill and stand-in coach VVS Laxman, who would need to take a tough call when Yashasvi Jaiswal is available from the third game. After his century, there is no way that the Sunrisers Hyderabad opener can be dropped from the playing XI.
Dream to reality
The first century celebrations of Abhishek Sharma for India
The most proud moment for us.#AbhishekSharma #ZIMvIND pic.twitter.com/cFqewd1BJO— Dr. Komal Sharma (@KomalSharma_20) July 7, 2024
The hallmark of his innings was fearlessness as he took calculated risks which paid off and allowed Gaikwad at the other end to get into the groove after playing and missing for the better part of his innings. He got a reprieve on 27 when Wellington Masakadza dropped a regulation skier off Luke Jongwe. He never looked back after that.
Having started his international run account with a pulled six off-spinner Brian Bennett, who had got the better of him on Saturday. Sharma’s fifty came off another pulled six behind square off medium pacer Dion Myers, whose 28-run over actually opened the floodgates during the back-10 for the visitors.
The shot that was most pleasing to the eye was his inside out six off rival skipper Sikandar Raza, lofting his off-break with the turn over extra cover boundary. If that was elegance personified, the manner in which he muscled left-arm spinner Masakadza into the orbit with back-to-back sixes was a testimony to his brute power.
He raised his milestone hundred when he guided a wayward full-toss on leg-stump behind the square for a maximum before being dismissed off the very next delivery. On return to the dug-out, he was congratulated by his skipper and best friend Shubman Gill, who once again had an indifferent outing.
