Lagatar24 Desk
Mumbai: Indian opener Abhishek Sharma’s blistering century in the 5th T20I at Wankhede Stadium has earned high praise from India head coach Gautam Gambhir, who described it as one of the finest T20 hundreds against bowlers consistently bowling at 140-150kph. Sharma’s 135 off 54 balls helped India set a massive 248-run target, eventually securing a 150-run victory over England.
Gautam Gambhir Lauds Abhishek Sharma’s Knock
Expressing his admiration for the young batter, Gambhir said:
“I haven’t seen a better T20 hundred against bowlers who are bowling at 140-150 kph consistently.”
The Indian head coach reaffirmed the team’s commitment to backing fearless players, emphasizing that India will continue to encourage attacking cricket.
“We are going to do this going forward, got to play fearless cricket. We want to keep backing players like Abhishek Sharma. We have to be patient with these boys. Most of these boys believe in the ideology of playing fearless cricket,” he stated.
India’s Mantra: Fearless Cricket
Gambhir further underlined that fearless cricket is the mantra of the Indian team, adding that even if players go through lean patches, the management will continue to back them.
“There will be times when players throw their wickets, players might go through a lean patch, but that is where management comes in—we need to back them. That is the mantra of our side, being fearless,” Gambhir said.
Abhishek Sharma’s Scintillating Knock
Sharma was in sublime form from the first ball, dominating England’s pacers. In an attempt to control the flow of runs, Jos Buttler introduced Liam Livingstone in the 5th over, but Sharma continued his aggressive approach, reaching his half-century in just 17 balls, narrowly missing Yuvraj Singh’s record of a 12-ball fifty.
Despite wickets tumbling at the other end, Sharma maintained focus and completed his century in just 37 balls, drawing applause from the Indian dressing room. While India’s scoring rate slowed down towards the end, they still managed to post 247/9 in 20 overs, a total that proved too much for England.
India’s All-Round Dominance
With the ball, Mohammed Shami struck early in the third over, while Varun Chakravarthy, Shivam Dube, and Abhishek Sharma all contributed to dismantling the English batting line-up. Sharma also showcased his all-round skills, picking up two wickets in an over, sealing a comprehensive victory for India.
