Abhishek Sharma shines with record-breaking sixes in T20I chase against England

In a spectacular display of batting prowess, Abhishek Sharma set a new record for the most sixes hit by an Indian in a T20I run chase during the first T20I against England at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday. His explosive 79 off just 34 balls played a pivotal role in India’s commanding seven-wicket victory, achieved in just 12.5 overs.

Piyush Sharma said: “Abhishek Sharma plays high-risk cricket, but if he scores 60+ runs in a match, the team ends up winning. Players like him need to be backed.” pic.twitter.com/ljNfQYOL4S

— Vipin Tiwari (@Vipintiwari952) January 22, 2025

India’s dominance in the match began with their spinners, who dismantled England’s batting lineup, restricting them to a modest total of 132. Varun Chakravarthy, with figures of 3/23, and Axar Patel, who claimed 2/22, were instrumental in keeping England under pressure. Jos Buttler was the lone warrior for England, scoring a resilient 44-ball 68 before falling to Chakravarthy.

Chasing the target, Abhishek led India’s charge with his breathtaking performance. His knock included eight towering sixes, surpassing the previous Indian record of six sixes in a T20I chase, a mark jointly held by Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Axar Patel. Abhishek’s six-hitting spree featured three against Adil Rashid, two off Mark Wood, and one each against Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, and Gus Atkinson.

Sanju Samson (26 off 20) and Tilak Varma (19 off 16) provided steady support as India cruised to victory. Abhishek’s knock also marked the second-fastest fifty by an Indian against England in T20Is, achieved in just 20 balls. Only Yuvraj Singh’s iconic 12-ball fifty in the 2007 T20 World Cup surpasses it, with KL Rahul’s 27-ball fifty in Manchester in 2018 standing third.

Abhishek’s mentor, the legendary Yuvraj Singh, has a history of power-hitting against England, most famously smashing six sixes in an over in 2007. Inspired by Yuvraj’s legacy, Abhishek delivered a performance that will be remembered as one of the most explosive T20I innings by an Indian.

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While Abhishek’s record-breaking performance earned him the spotlight, it’s worth noting the global benchmarks. The record for most sixes in a T20I chase stands at 18, held by Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan. Among Full Member nations, South Africa’s Richard Levi leads with 13 sixes against New Zealand.