MATCH STORY
Follow UsA duck on debut
A 46-ball hundred in the second match
Fortunes turn quickly in T20 cricket. Especially for players who play with the ‘high risk high reward’ approach. Abhishek Sharma is the pioneer of it.
Less than 24 hours ago, the left-hander was out for a duck on his international debut, playing in the first T20I against Zimbabwe. He was the first batter out in a run chase of 116 where India fell short by 13 runs. On his fourth ball, he miscued a pull shot straight to the backward square-leg fielder. The argument was that various Indian batters played too many shots too early in a below-par run chase. However, in Abhishek’s case, that is just how he bats. That is how he has made his name in the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
In the second T20I today (July 7), the 23-year-old backed his innate approach and razed down a hundred in only 46 balls to turn his fortunes upside down. After a four-ball duck yesterday, his first scoring shot today was a first ball six which is quite fitting as his first runs in international cricket. He reached his half-century in the 11th over with a six and his hundred only three overs later, with three sixes in a row.
The southpaw had a brief period of consolidation in his innings. Between overs four and eight, Abhishek scored only 10 off 15 balls. He was also dropped in the eighth over. Abhishek was on 27 when Wellington Masakadza spilled a catchable opportunity. From thereon, he flew, scoring 72 runs off his next 22 balls.
Abhishek shifted gears against Sikandar Raza, the Player of the Match yesterday with 3/25, whacking him for a four and a six. In the 11th, he hammered the medium pacer, Dion Myers for three fours and two sixes. The Punjab-born dashed from 50 to 100 in only 13 balls, the joint second-fastest in T20I history.
His exceptional prowess at hitting spinners helped him accelerate in the middle overs. It was another turnaround from yesterday when Zimbabwe spinners choked India to pick five wickets between them in eight overs.
Abhishek hit the spinners at a strike rate of 203.1. In the middle overs, he smashed 47 runs off 19 balls against spin.
Abhishek’s acceleration allowed Ruturaj Gaikwad to bide his time. The duo forged a 137-run stand for the second wicket. Abhishek contributed 93 off 43 balls to that. Gaikwad, 41 off 33 balls at Abhishek’s dismissal, raced to 77 off 47 later on.
On a two-paced wicket, Abhishek’s onslaught set the foundation for India’s storming comeback with the bat after the collapse yesterday. Rinku Singh (48* off 22) and Gaikwad lifted India to a total of 234 with a quickfire 87-run stand.
“In my first 15 balls, I didn't even middle a single ball. Thought the wicket was tough. Abhishek chose the right bowlers and took on spin well. It was a two-paced wicket. Great innings in the context of the game,” Gaikwad told the broadcasters in the mid-innings break.
Abhishek is only the second batter to follow a duck on his T20I debut with a hundred in the second outing. The first was also a swashbuckling left-handed opener — Evin Lewis in 2016. Apart from flipping his own fortunes, Abhishek resurrected India from collapse to carnage. He did so smashing the spinners who were pivotal in Zimbabwe’s win yesterday.
So many narratives turned around within a space of 24 hours.
Moreover, Abhishek showcased that it was only a blip yesterday with the bat, both for him and his team. And that he has the flair to translate his IPL success into international cricket.
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