In the world of T20 cricket, fortunes change faster than a flick of the wrist. Just 48 hours ago, Abhishek Sharma walked back to the dugout in Raipur with his head down—a victim of a perfectly executed New Zealand trap. But in the 3rd T20I at Guwahati, the “Abhi-six” storm returned with a vengeance that has left the cricketing world in awe.
The Background: The Raipur Heartbreak
To appreciate the brilliance of Sunday night, we have to look back at the 2nd T20I. New Zealand’s coach and Jacob Duffy had drawn up a specific plan: bait Abhishek with a slot ball on the very first delivery. It worked. Abhishek swung, the ball hung in the air, and he was caught on the boundary for a golden duck. It was a rare failure for the man who usually bats like there’s no tomorrow.
The Redemption: Facing the Same Bowler, Different Result
Fast forward to the 3rd T20I. Chasing a target of 154, Abhishek Sharma found himself facing his nemesis, Jacob Duffy, once again in the second over. The tension was palpable. Would he be cautious? Would he play it safe?
Not a chance. On the very first ball he faced, Abhishek danced down the track and smoked an 88-meter six over deep mid-wicket. It wasn’t just a shot; it was a statement. He was back, and he wasn’t going to stop.
The Hurricane: 50 in Just 14 Balls!
What followed was pure carnage. Abhishek Sharma didn’t just play an innings; he dismantled the New Zealand bowling attack ball by ball.
The Milestone: He reached his half-century in a staggering 14 balls.
The Record: This makes him the 2nd fastest Indian to hit a T20I fifty, standing only behind his mentor and trainer, the legendary Yuvraj Singh, who famously smashed a 12-ball 50 against England in 2007.
- The Stat Line: Abhishek finished the match unbeaten with a mind-numbing 68 runs off just 20 balls*.
- Boundaries: His innings was decorated with 7 fours and 5 massive sixes.
- Crucially, Abhishek did not face a single dot ball in his entire 20-ball stay—a new world record for the highest individual T20I score without a dot ball!
India Seals the Series 3-0
While Abhishek was the main act, he had a perfect supporting partner in captain Suryakumar Yadav. Coming off a match-winning performance in Raipur, SKY showed no signs of slowing down, hammering 57 off 26 balls*.
Together, they chased down the 154-run target in exactly 10 overs. Yes, you read that right—India scored at more than 15 runs per over to win by 8 wickets!
Series Update: With this dominant victory, India now leads the 5-match series 3-0, officially sealing the trophy with two games to spare.
Conclusion: The Heir to the Throne?
Seeing Abhishek Sharma bat with the fearlessness of a young Yuvraj Singh has Indian fans dreaming of the 2026 T20 World Cup. If he continues to strike at this rate, no total in the world is safe. Would you like me to create a comparison table of Abhishek Sharma vs. Yuvraj Singh’s fastest fifties for your next social media post?