Indian opener Abhishek Sharma delivered a stunning performance in the recently concluded T20I series against England, saving his best for the final match at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. His explosive 135-run knock off just 54 balls on Sunday was not just a record-breaking innings but also a strong statement to the cricketing world. In front of a star-studded crowd that included Mukesh Ambani, Aamir Khan, Rajeev Shukla, Amitabh Bachchan, and Abhishek Bachchan, Abhishek showcased his aggressive batting, sending a clear message that no bowler—regardless of pace, variation, or reputation—was safe if the ball was in his hitting zone.
His fearless stroke play dismantled England’s bowling attack, taking on express pacers Jofra Archer and Mark Wood with ease. Even the world’s top-ranked T20I spinner, Adil Rashid, struggled to contain him as Abhishek made light work of his variations. His innings, featuring seven fours and 13 sixes, set multiple records. It became the highest individual T20I score by an Indian, surpassing Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 126 against New Zealand in 2023. His 13 sixes also broke the record for the most maximums in a T20I innings by an Indian, surpassing the previous mark of 10 set by Rohit Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Tilak Varma in different matches.
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In addition to his batting heroics, Abhishek made a significant impact with the ball, picking up two wickets for just three runs in his first over. He became only the second player from a Test-playing nation, after Glenn Maxwell, to score a century and take multiple wickets in a T20I match.
At 24, Abhishek’s high-risk, high-reward approach has already made him a key player in India’s new-look T20I setup. While his aggressive style makes him a ‘boom or bust’ player, he has started showing glimpses of consistency that could pave the way for a potential ODI career and establish him as a white-ball batting great.
His international career had a rocky start with a duck against Zimbabwe, but he responded emphatically with a blistering 47-ball century in his second T20I. A series of low scores followed, yet under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav, the team management continued to back his talent. That faith was rewarded when Abhishek found form with a crucial half-century against South Africa in Centurion in November 2024. Since then, he has been in unstoppable form, scoring 365 runs in his last seven T20Is at an astonishing average of 73.00 and a strike rate of over 214, including a century and two fifties.
His ability to rotate strike and play grounded shots when needed suggests that his game is evolving. This transformation is further reflected in his domestic performances. In the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), he scored 255 runs in seven innings at an average of 42.50 and a phenomenal strike rate of 216.10, including a century. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT), he finished as the sixth-highest run-getter with 467 runs in eight innings at an average of 58.44, including a career-best 170 off 96 balls against Saurashtra.
Since his half-century at Centurion, Abhishek has amassed 1,087 runs across formats in his last 22 innings at an average of 51.76, with three centuries and six fifties. In T20 cricket alone, since the start of SMAT 2023, he has racked up 1,759 runs in 50 T20Is at an average of 37.42 and an incredible strike rate of 199.20, with five centuries and nine fifties. Across these games, he has smashed 140 sixes, further solidifying his reputation as one of India’s most dangerous T20 batters.
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