On his biggest day when he set a plethora of records and helped India thrash England by 150 runs in the fifth and final T20I to clinch a 4-1 triumph in the series, Indian opener Abhishek Sharma was thinking how happy his mentor Yuvraj Singh would be with his brilliant batting.
Abhishek smashed 135 off 54 balls, the highest score by an India in men’s T20Is. He was ruthless in his strokeplay, blasting seven fours and 13 sixes at a strike rate 228.57 as India posted 247/9. India returned to dismiss England for 97 in 10.3 overs, winning the match with 57 balls to spare.
Abhishek set many records in the process, the second-fastest fifty and also the second-fastest hundred, hitting the maximum number of sixes in a T20I match, pulverizing the England attack to all corners of the Wankhede Stadium.
The left-handed opener started at a breakneck pace, hitting Jofra Archer and Mark Wood for successive boundaries at the start of the innings but slowed down in the middle overs before hitting some big shots towards the end of his innings as he got out for 135 in the 18th over.
Abhishek said Yuvraj Singh, star of India's triumphs in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup, would be most happy about this aspect of Sunday's knock.
Probably he [mentor Yuvraj Singh] should be happy today. He's always wanted me to bat into the 15th, and 20th over, and I've tried to implement that.
Abhishek, who also took a catch and picked two wickets with his left-arm spin, said the belief that he could play for the national team was instilled in him by Yuvraj.
As a player, there are moments of doubt about whether you'll ever represent your country. But Yuvi Paaji (Yuvraj Singh) has always believed in me. He used to say, ‘One day, you’ll play for India and win matches, so I’m preparing you for that.’ That belief kept me going.
Yuvraj was quick to respond and congratulated his protegee on a historic innings. “Well played @IamAbhiSharma4! That's where I want to see you! Proud of you.
The 24-year-old from Amritsar, Punjab, who made his mark in IPL 2024 with some superb batting for Sunrisers Hyderabad, thanked skipper Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir for backing him up when he could not score big in the first four matches of this series.
He called his knock a special one as his mother and sister were in the Stadium watching him and credited T20I skipper Suryakumar and head coach Gautam Gambhir for backing him up when he failed to post a big score in the first four matches of the series. About his out-and-out aggression while batting,
"It's a special one, coming for the country, always a great feeling. When I see it's my day, I always try to go from the first ball. And the way the coach and the captain have treated me from the first day. They've always wanted this intent, they've always backed me."
I always manifest such innings, and finally, it happened. The backing from the coach and captain gave me a lot of confidence. They have always encouraged me to play my natural game, even when I failed in a few matches. So, when your captain and coach back you, as a youngster, that’s your biggest motivation.
when I practice, I do it with match intent. During the (Syed) Mushtaq Ali Trophy with Punjab, I developed the belief that if I’m in my zone, I can hit a boundary every other ball. Brian Lara sir once told me, ‘If you hit 100 sixes in practice but keep losing your wicket in matches, it’s of no use.’ That advice stuck with me, and I always try to play with the right intent. All three senior players—SKY, Hardik, and Axar bhai—advised me to take my time, focus on playing proper cricketing shots, and complete my century.
