Abhishek Sharma Sets New T20I Powerplay Sixes Record
Abhishek Sharma Breaks T20I Powerplay Sixes Record
Indian cricketer Abhishek Sharma has made headlines by surpassing the legendary Rohit Sharma, becoming the first player to hit 100 sixes during the powerplay phase of T20I matches. This remarkable achievement occurred in the second T20I against New Zealand held in Christchurch. While chasing a target of 181 runs, Abhishek provided a strong start for India but was dismissed by Mitchell Santner in the ninth over, scoring 27 runs off 21 balls, which included three fours and one six, at a strike rate of 128.57.
Powerplay Sixes Record Breakdown
With this milestone, Abhishek now holds the record for the most powerplay sixes in T20Is, achieving this with a balls-per-six rate of 7.77, the best in the format. Rohit Sharma previously held the record with 98 sixes at a balls-per-six rate of 17.05. Martin Guptill follows closely with 97 powerplay sixes and a balls-per-six rate of 16.58. In 2023, Abhishek has played 36 T20Is, amassing 1,012 runs at an average of 28.91 and a strike rate of 199.60, including one century and eight fifties, with a top score of 108. He is now the third Indian batter to surpass 1,000 runs in T20Is within a calendar year, joining Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan.
Match Overview: New Zealand's Resilience and India's Victory
In the match, India won the toss and opted to bowl first, quickly putting New Zealand in a tough spot at 41/3 during the powerplay. However, Glenn Phillips (70 runs off 46 balls, including four fours and six sixes) and Bevon Jacobs (58 runs off 46 balls, with five fours and one six) mounted a strong recovery, forming a 116-run partnership for the fourth wicket and guiding New Zealand to a total of 180/5 in their 20 overs. Arshdeep Singh was the standout bowler for India, taking 2 wickets for 33 runs, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prince Yadav, and Nitish Kumar Reddy each claimed one wicket.
India's Chase and Key Contributions
While chasing the target of 181, India faced a dramatic collapse, going from 40/0 to 112/6, largely due to Mitchell Santner's impressive four-wicket haul. A brief resurgence came from Naman Dhir, who scored 31 runs off 17 balls, hitting one four and three sixes. Ultimately, it was Tilak Varma (51 not out off 26 balls, with six fours and one six) and Nitish Kumar (26 not out off 13 balls, with one four and one six) who secured the win for India with just one ball remaining. With this victory, India leads the five-match series 2-0.