New Delhi: Bouncing back after a disappointing duck on his T20I debut for India, Abhishek Sharma lived up to his true potential as he notched up his maiden T20I ton in the second T20I against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on Sunday. It was an exhibition of power hitting from Abhishek, who single-handedly ripped apart the Zimbabwe bowling attack en route to his maiden ton for India.
The explosive left-hander was dismissed on a duck in the 1st T20I at the same venue on his India debut against Zimbabwe on Saturday. But he returned to his very best in the 2nd T20I on Sunday with a sensational knock of 100 runs off 47 balls.
Abhishek got India off to a flyer after the visitors won the toss and opted to bat first in the game. Despite losing his opening partner and captain Shubman Gill cheaply in the second over, he continued his onslaught on the other end and took the Zimbabwe bowlers to the cleaners with some brilliant shots.
The prolific left-hander looked in splendid touch as he kept smashing the Zimbabwe bowlers to all parts of the ground. Abhishek opened his account with a six against Brian Bennett on the second ball of the first over and there was no looking back from there as the left-hander continued his sensational run. He raced to his fifty off just 33 balls before completing his hundred in the next 13 deliveries.
Starting off in a way he is best known for 🔥🙌#SonySportsNetwork #ZIMvIND #TeamIndia | @IamAbhiSharma4 pic.twitter.com/10TXtOta1N
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 7, 2024
Displaying his incredible hitting prowess, Abhishek switched gears seamlessly after his fifty and seemed a man possessed as he kept going after the Zimbabwe bowlers. It took the left-hander only 13 balls to notch up his second fifty as he completed his hundred off 46 balls. His 100-run knock was laced with 7 fours and 8 sixes as Abhishek lit up the Harare Sports Club with his sensational hitting.
8th Indian to score a century in T20Is
Abhishek became only the 8th Indian batter to score a century in T20Is, joining the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in an elite list. He is the first Indian player to hit a century in his second T20I appearance for India and the first Indian to score a T20I hundred against Zimbabwe.
Abhishek’s quickfire 47-ball 100 and Ruturaj Gaikwad’s brilliant knock of unbeaten 77 along with Rinku Singh’s cameo of 22-ball 48 not out helped India post a huge total of 234/2 in 20 overs in the 2nd T20I. Gaikwad’s 77 came at a strike rate of 163.83 and was laced with 11 fours and a solitary six while Rinku’s cameo was studded with 5 sixes and 2 fours as he closely missed out on his half-century.
India will be looking to defend the big total successfully and beat Zimbabwe to return to winning ways and level the five-match series 1-1.
Abhishek Sharma went berserk with the willow as he smashed his maiden T20I hundred off just 46 balls in the 2nd T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare on Sunday. Abhishek’s blistering ton was laced with 8 sixes and 7 fours as he made a mockery of the Zimbabwe bowling attack. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
