Wellington [New Zealand], October 4 (ANI): Abhishek Sharma overtook Virat Kohli to become the Indian batter with the most T20 centuries on Tuesday.
The explosive left-hander achieved this milestone during the third T20I against New Zealand at Wellington, scoring a 38-ball 113, with nine fours and 11 sixes at a strike rate of 297.37.
Now, Abhishek, with 11 T20 centuries, has overtaken Virat's tally of 10 T20 centuries, becoming the Indian with the most T20 tonnes. Only West Indies titan Chris Gayle (22) and Pakistan batter Babar Azam (13) are above him, making him the third-highest centurion of all time in T20s already.
Abhishek now has four T20I centuries, the joint second-highest in T20I history, levelling with stars like Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and England's Phil Salt. Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell (5) holds the record for most T20I centuries.
In 70 T20Is and 69 innings, Abhishek has made 2,240 runs at an average of 33.43 and a strike rate of 196.83, with four centuries and 14 fifties and a best score of 135.
This year in 37 T20Is, Abhishek has made 1,125 runs at an average of 31.25 and a strike rate of 206.42, including two centuries and eight fifties and a best score of 113. He is 40 runs away from breaking Suryakumar's record of most T20I runs in a year by an Indian (1,164 runs in 2022).
This is the seventh time Abhishek has hit 10 sixes or more in a T20I innings; only Chris Gayle (18 times) has done better. Among T20I batters, he has surpassed Gayle in this aspect, having done so thrice as compared to Gayle doing it twice. Austria's Karanbir Singh has hit 10 sixes or more in a T20I innings five times.
With this assault, Abhishek is the only third Indian to reach 150 T20I sixes, currently sitting at 158 sixes below Suryakumar (179 sixes) and Rohit (205).
Coming to the match, India won the toss and opted to bowl first. After Tim Seifert (2) was removed early, an 86-run stand for the second wicket between Finn Allen (40 in 25 balls, with five fours) and Daryl Mitchell brought NZ back in the game. Glenn Phillips (17 in 14) was underwhelming after two successive fifties. Mitchell (89* off 52 balls, with five fours and five sixes) stuck around with Bevon Jacobs (39* off 23 balls, with four boundaries and a six), taking Kiwis to 198/3 in 20 overs.
Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel and Nitish Kumar Reddy took a wicket each.
During the chase, Abhishek and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (45 in 19 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) started off with a breathtaking, ultra-aggressive display of hitting, taking India to 133 in just 7.1 overs. Despite a brief stumble, a winning hit from Naman Dhir (4*) took India home with eight wickets and 40 balls left. India seal the series 3-0. (ANI)
Abhishek Sharma overtakes Virat Kohli for most T20 centuries by an Indian cricketer
