Kolkata: Abhishek Sharma showcased an exceptional performance in the first T20I against England on Wednesday, achieving a remarkable half-century off just 20 balls and setting a record for the most sixes hit by an Indian in a T20I chase, as reported by Wisden.
The match took place at Eden Gardens, where India's spinners excelled in the first innings, restricting England to a mere 132 runs. Varun Chakravarthy (3/23) and Axar Patel (2/22) effectively pressured England's batsmen, with only captain Jos Buttler managing to put up a fight. Buttler scored a commendable 68 runs off 44 balls before being dismissed by Chakravarthy.
In pursuit of a modest target, India achieved victory in just 12.5 overs, losing only three wickets. Abhishek Sharma led the charge with an explosive 79 runs from 34 balls, which included eight sixes, thereby setting a new record for the most sixes by an Indian in a T20I chase. Sanju Samson (26 off 20) and Tilak Varma (19 off 16) contributed significantly to the successful chase.
Abhishek's impressive display of power hitting included three sixes off Adil Rashid, two off Mark Wood, and one each off Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, and Gus Atkinson. His eight sixes surpassed the previous Indian record of six in a T20I chase, a feat shared by Rohit Sharma (twice), Suryakumar Yadav, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Axar Patel.
On a global scale, the record for the most sixes in a T20I chase is held by Estonia's Sahil Chauhan with 18, while South Africa's Richard Levi leads among Full Member nations with 13 sixes against New Zealand.
The trend of Indian left-handers dominating English bowlers in T20Is has a storied history, famously initiated by Yuvraj Singh during the 2007 T20 World Cup.
Under Yuvraj's mentorship, Abhishek displayed his formidable power-hitting skills in the series opener against England's fast bowlers. This performance marked the second-fastest fifty by an Indian against England in T20I history.
Abhishek's mentor, Yuvraj, set the record for the fastest fifty, achieving it in just 12 balls during a match in Durban in 2007. In contrast, KL Rahul showcased his skills in Manchester in 2018, reaching his fifty in 27 deliveries.
