Abhishek Sharma’s scintillating performance in the India-New Zealand T20I opener in Nagpur propelled him into an elite club: 5000 T20 runs, reached in 165 innings across 169 games. His 35-ball 84, studded with 8 sixes and 5 fours, was the highlight of India’s commanding 238/7.
Storming to fifty in 22 balls, Abhishek now leads T20Is for most 25-ball-or-fewer half-centuries with 8, outpacing Suryakumar Yadav, Phil Salt, and Evin Lewis (7 each). Versus New Zealand, his 8 sixes match Kieron Pollard’s for second place, with Richard Levi’s 13 still unrivaled.
Rinku Singh’s explosive 44* (20 balls: 3 sixes, 4 fours) and Suryakumar Yadav’s 32 bolstered the total, which ranks third-highest against NZ in T20s – after Australia’s 245/5 (2018) and England’s 241/3 (2019). The Black Caps fought back with Jacob Duffy and Kyle Jamieson (2 wickets each), plus Chris Clarke, Ish Sodhi, and Mitchell Santner (1 each).
This match encapsulated Abhishek’s maturation from promising talent to T20 titan, setting a high bar for the series and inspiring India’s batting revolution.