Abhishek Sharma Becomes First Batter to Record 100 T20I Powerplay Sixes

Record-Breaking Milestone

Indian opener Abhishek Sharma has achieved a significant milestone in international cricket, becoming the first batter to clear the boundary 100 times during the powerplay overs (1-6) in T20 Internationals. He reached this feat during the second T20I match against New Zealand held in Christchurch this past Saturday.

Abhishek surpassed the previous record held by former India captain Rohit Sharma, who recorded 98 powerplay sixes during his career. Abhishek reached the century mark by hitting a six over extra cover against bowler Matt Henry in the third over of the run chase.

Match Summary: New Zealand vs. India

• Date: Saturday
• Venue: Christchurch
• Competition: Five-match T20I series
• Result: India won by four wickets
• Series Standing: India leads 2-0

New Zealand initially set a target of 180/5, bolstered by half-centuries from Glenn Phillips (70) and Bevon Jacobs (56). Arshdeep Singh provided two wickets for India during the bowling innings.

In response, India faced difficulty early on, finding themselves at 112/6 in the 15th over. Despite his record-breaking start, Abhishek Sharma was dismissed by Mitchell Santner after scoring 27 runs from 21 deliveries. The match was eventually decided by Tilak Varma, who scored an unbeaten 51 off 26 balls, alongside Nitish Kumar Reddy, who remained not out on 26 to secure the winning runs.

Mitchell Santner was the standout bowler for the Black Caps, taking 4/21. Fans can verify official scorecards and statistical updates through the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or official cricket statistics portals.