The Indian cricket team scripted history on Sunday after beating England by 150 runs in the fifth and final T20I in Mumbai. Abhishek Sharma was the wrecker-in-chief as India smashed their highest-ever score in the powerplay in the format, 95 runs at the loss of one wicket. Boundaries were flowing all-around the park, thanks to terrific hitting from Abhishek as he reached his fifty in only 17 balls. By the end of powerplay, the southpaw reached the score of 58 off only 21 balls.
India’s highest scores in T20I powerplay –
95/1 vs England in Mumbai in 2025
82/2 vs SCotland in Dubai in 2021
82/1 vs Bangladesh in Hyderabad in 2024
78/2 vs South Africa in Johannesburg in 2018
Abhishek missed equalling Rohit Sharma’s record of being the fastest Indian to score a T20I ton by just two balls. Rohit had hit a 35-ball T20I century for India against Sri Lanka in 2017.
Abhishek also scored a 17-ball half-century, which was the second fastest by an India, when he hit Jamie Overton for a massive six in the fifth over.
He also shared a 115-run second-wicket partnership with Tilak Varma (24).
Asked to bat first, a fired-up Abhishek unleashed seven boundaries and 13 sixes en route to 135 (54 balls) as he scored the second-fastest T20I century by an Indian batter off 37 balls to help the hosts amass 247 for 9.
Indian bowlers Mohammed Shami (3/25), Varun Chakravarthy (2/25), Shivam Dube (2/11) and Abhishek Sharma (2/3) then stifled the England batters, managing to dismiss them for 97 runs with 9.3 overs to spare.
Brief Scores: India 247 for 9 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 135, Tilak Varma 24, Shivam Dube 30; Brydon Carse 3/38, Mark Wood 2/32).
England 97 all out in 10.3 overs (Phil Salt 55; Mohammed Shami 3/25, Varun Chakravarthy 2/25, Shivam Dube 2/11, Abhishek Sharma 2/3).
(With PTI Inputs)