Indian opener Abhishek Sharma blazes second-fastest T20I fifty

Our Sports Reporter

Guwahati: Indian opener Abhishek Sharma produced a breathtaking knock to smash the second-fastest half-century by an Indian in T20 internationals during the third match of the series against New Zealand here on Sunday.

The record for the fastest T20I fifty by an Indian remains with Yuvraj Singh, who reached the milestone in just 12 balls. Abhishek, however, came close with his explosive innings, underlining his growing stature at the international level.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Abhishek expressed satisfaction with his performance while acknowledging the legendary feat of Yuvraj.

“It’s impossible to break Yuvraj Singh’s record, but I’m really happy with how I played,” he said.

The left-hander remained unbeaten on 68 off just 20 deliveries, lacing his innings with seven fours and five towering sixes. A majority of his runs came through powerful strokes on the leg side, putting the New Zealand bowlers under severe pressure.

Asked about his dominance on the leg side, Abhishek explained, “I don’t always look to score on the leg side, but if I get the opportunity and the field placement allows it, I take advantage of it.”

Meanwhile, teammate Ravi Bishnoi heaped praise on the young opener’s performance during the post-match press conference.

“The way Abhishek batted today was superb. If he continues like this, it will help us a lot—whether it’s putting up big scores while batting first or chasing targets comfortably, like we did today,” Bishnoi said.

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