Abhishek Sharma smashed 148 runs in 52 balls in a domestic T20 tournament against an experienced Bengal bowling attack featuring Mohammed Shami and Akash Deep on Sunday to guide Punjab to a mammoth total of 310-5, the fourth highest in T20s.
Opening the innings after winning the toss in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match, the Punjab captain struck five sixes and as many fours to reach the 50-mark in 12 balls, the joint-second fastest by an Indian in the format.
The left-handed batter completed his century in 32 balls, the third joint-quickest by an Indian in T20s. With 16 sixes and eight fours in his innings, he reached 148 before being dismissed by Deep.
With the innings, the 25-year-old also took his tally of sixes in T20s this year to 91, the highest by an Indian in a calendar year, surpassing his own record of 87 sixes last year.
Sharma’s ton comes nearly a year after he scored a 28-ball 100 against Meghalaya, the joint-highest by an Indian. He also made a case for inclusion in India’s squad for next year’s T20 World Cup with the innings.
(Reuters)
