Table of Contents
Abhishek Sharma’s bizarre day ended in disappointment for the India National Cricket Team on Saturday, July 11. Abhishek Sharma has made a rare world record during the fifth and final T20I against England, but India once again failed to deliver, with the hosts winning the series 4-0.
It was a special personal milestone for Abhishek, but the team's poor performance overshadowed his achievement. England outplayed India in every department and finished the series by winning the final match by 56 runs at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on July 11.
Abhishek Sharma achieves bizarre milestone in India's painful loss
Abhishek Sharma played his 53rd T20I match for India in Southampton on Saturday, and with this, he became the player from a Full Member nation to play the most number of T20I matches without making his debut in either Test or ODI cricket.
The stylish left-hander surpassed the former West Indies spinner Samuel Badree, who had played 52 T20I matches without playing a Test or ODI. Zimbabwe's Tashinga Musekiwa is next on the list with 41 T20Is, followed by Sri Lanka's Nuwan Thushara with 30 and India's Harshal Patel with 25.
However, Abhishek failed to deliver on his record match at the bat. India needed 258 runs to win, but his bat failed to fire in the fifth and final T20I on Saturday. England fast bowler Jofra Archer dismissed him for just three runs after getting extra bounce from the pitch, and the edge was safely caught by the wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.
Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma fight hard, but India fall short
India kept losing wickets at regular intervals during the chase. Ishan Kishan tried to keep the fight alive with a solid 56 runs from 35 balls, while Tilak Varma played an attacking knock of 53 runs from only 25 deliveries, but the required run rate kept increasing, and India finished on 201/8.
Earlier, England completely dominated with the bat after India won the toss and decided to bowl first. Jos Buttler played a brilliant innings of 131 runs from just 64 balls, while captain Harry Brook remained unbeaten on 95 from 45 deliveries.
Both batters added a huge 233-run partnership for the second wicket. Their outstanding batting helped England post a massive total of 257/3 in 20 overs. India's bowlers had no answers to England's attacking batting. The fielding was also disappointed, as India dropped important catches. Amid this, Prince Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi replace injured duo for England ODIs, Zimbabwe T20Is.
Abhishek Sharma's mixed tour as England becomes No.1 T20I Team
With this win, the England team has completed a one-sided 4-0 series win after the first T20I was abandoned because of rain. The victory also helped England replace India as the No. 1 team in the ICC Men's T20I rankings. Now, both teams will shift focus to the ODI series.
Notably, Abhishek Sharma started the England T20I series with a stunning 59 off 24 balls, smashing the fastest T20I fifty by an Indian in England and becoming the fastest batter to complete 100 T20I sixes in just 785 balls. However, the Punjab lad failed to continue the momentum and then managed only 43, 10, 16, and 3 in the last four innings against England.
