bhishek Sharma of India celebrates his century during the 5th T20 International between India and England at Wankhede Stadium (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Abhishek Sharma lit the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai alive with one of the greatest hundreds in T20I cricket history. Sharma blasted a breathtaking 135 off just 54 deliveries even as the Indian bowlers routed England for a paltry 97 earning their second-biggest win ever in T20I cricket. Sharma powered to his century off just 37 deliveries making it the second-fastest ton in T20I cricket for India after Rohit Sharma.
RG looks at the numbers behind Sharma’s sensational performance.
135 – The highest T20I score by an Indian batter
Abhishek Sharma’s 135 against England in Mumbai is the highest score by an Indian in a T20 International, surpassing Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 126 against New Zealand in Ahmedabad in 2023.
37 – The second-fastest T20I ton for India
Abhishek Sharma hammered to his hundred off just 37 deliveries making it the second fastest T20I hundred for India after Rohit Sharma’s 35-ball ton against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017. Amongst batters from major cricket playing nations, Sharma’s century was the third-fastest of all-time after Rohit and David Miller (35-ball hundred against Bangladesh also in 2017).
Sharma did not start off in blazing fashion and scored just 11 off his first eight deliveries. However, what followed was carnage as he blasted away to a half-century off just 17 deliveries – which means he had smashed 39 off the next nine deliveries he faced at a mind-boggling strike rate of 433.33! Sharma took 20 deliveries to add another fifty to his tally as he powered his way to a scintillating hundred off just 37 deliveries.
250 – The sixth-highest strike rate for a T20I ton for a top-nation batter
Abhishek Sharma hammered 135 off just 54 deliveries scoring at a brilliant strike rate of 250. It was the sixth-highest scoring rate for a batter in a contest between major cricket-playing nations in T20I history! David Miller (280.55), Rohit Sharma (274.41), Hazratullah Zazai (261.29), Johnson Charles (256.52) and Tilak Varma (255.31) are the top 5 on the list.
13 – The most sixes in a T20I innings by an Indian batter
Abhishek Sharma blasted 13 sixes in his magnificent 135 off 54 deliveries breaking Rohit Sharma’s record of 10 (vs Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017) for the most sixes by an Indian batter in a T20I innings.
234 vs 279 – Sharma’s strike rate against pace and spin in Mumbai
Abhishek Sharma was as belligerent against pace as he was against spin in Mumbai on Sunday. He hammered 82 runs off just 35 deliveries against the fast bowlers at a strike rate of 234.3 while smashing 53 off 19 deliveries against the spinners at a strike rate of 279!
78.5% - Nearly 4/5th of Sharma’s runs came in the V or Cover Area
Abhishek Sharma was particularly impressive hitting down the ground and over cover/ extra cover. He scored 106 runs off just 38 deliveries (ie 78.5% of his total runs) in the ‘V’ and over cover/ extra cover at a strike rate of 278.9. 11 of his 13 sixes in the innings came in this region.
95 – India broke the record for their highest score in the powerplay
India blasted away 95 runs in the first six overs against England at the Wankhede in Mumbai on Sunday which was their highest team total in the powerplay in a T20I ever! Their previous best was 82 against Scotland in Dubai in 2021. Overall, it was the fourth-highest team total by a Top 10 nation in the powerplay in T20I cricket.
58 – The highest score by an Indian batter in the powerplay in T20I cricket
Abhishek Sharma smashed 58 runs off just 21 deliveries in the powerplay against England in Mumbai on Sunday – it was the highest score by an Indian batter in the first 6 overs in a T20I. The previous record was held by Yashasvi Jaiswal who scored 53 off 25 deliveries against Australia in Trivandrum in 2023.
150 – India’s second-highest margin of victory in a T20I
India piled on a massive 247 and then routed England for a paltry 97 powering to a huge 150-run win in Mumbai. It was the second-biggest win for India in a T20I. Their biggest win (in terms of runs) came against New Zealand in Ahmedabad in 2023 (by 168 runs). It was also India’s 8th win by a margin of 100-plus runs in a T20I – the most such wins for a major cricket-nation in the world!
Nikhil Narain
