Abhishek Sharma Smashes India’s 2nd-Fastest T20I Fifty

Abhishek Sharma created his name in the records of Indian cricket history by hitting India’s second-quickest T20I fifty. He achieved the fifty in merely 14 deliveries against New Zealand in the third T20I, outclassing Hardik Pandya, who hit the fifty in 16 deliveries recently against South Africa in an international encounter just one month ago.

Where Does Abhishek Sharma Feature in Record Books?

Despite his extraordinary knock, Abhishek is still behind his guiding star, Yuvraj Singh, who has set an Indian record for the quickest fifty in T20I cricket, achieving it off 12 balls against England back in 2007, hitting six sixes off Stuart Broad.

List Of Fastest T20I Fifties

India record: Yuvraj Singh – 12 balls (2007)

Second-fastest (India): Abhishek Sharma – 14 balls vs New Zealand

Overall fastest: Dipendra Singh Airee – 9 balls (Nepal vs Mongolia, Asian Games 2023)

Explosive Start in a High-Pressure Chase

Chasing 154, Abhishek Sharma didn’t take much time to get settled in Guwahati as he followed his same aggressive style from the first match in Nagpur on January 21.

Power Play Hitting

First ball faced: danced down the track for an 88 metre six
Consistency in the boundary hitting after the first six overs
Mixed fearless footwork with precision timing
Reached 50 in the sixth over to propel India to 94/0 after the powerplay period.

This score was India’s second-highest in men’s T20Is in the powerplay, behind only 95/1, which was at the Wankhede Stadium against England last year.

Shot-Making That Dismantled New Zealand

Abhishek Sharma’s innings included:

Pulling shots off short balls

Upper cuts over the infield

Clean hits past the spinners’ heads

The calculated aggressiveness also meant that the Kiwi bowlers didn’t get a moment’s peace as boundaries were hit to all corners of the ground.

Abhishek Sharma on His Batting Mindset

Speaking after the match, Abhishek Sharma emphasized clarity and confidence:

“That’s what my team expects from me. I focus on execution, though it’s not easy every time. A lot of it is mental, and the dressing-room environment plays a huge role.”

On the possibility of breaking Yuvraj Singh’s iconic record, he added:

“That feels almost impossible, but you never know. Any batter can do it, especially with the way everyone is batting right now.”

Instinct Over Pre-Planning

When questioned about attacking from the very first ball, Abhishek Sharma explained his natural approach:

“It’s more instinctive. I think about what the bowler might bowl to get me out first ball, and I play according to that.”