In a mighty 135 runs from 54 balls, Abhishek Sharma set many records taking India to a massive 150 runs victory against England in the fifth T20I at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. It took India to a 4-1 series win, adding to a 3-1 series win against South Africa in their most recent T20I bilateral. Mohammad Shami returned to the playing XI and claimed three wickets, while Abhishek Sharma also contributed with 2 wickets. Varun Chakravarthy finished the series with 14 wickets in five games, earning the ‘Player of the Series’ award. Abhishek Sharma’s Powerpack Performance Leads India to 4-1 T20 Series Glory Against England .
TOSS-
England Called It Right & Have Chosen To Bowl .
TEAMS LINE UP-
India Squad:
Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy
England Squad:
Philip Salt (wk), Ben Duckett, Jos Buttler (c), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
INDIA
Sanju Samson slogged the very first ball for a six under pressure after India were sent in before hitting an even bigger six a few balls later. But in the next over, Mark Wood punked him as the opener pulled a short-ball directly to deep square leg. This is where the Abhishek Sharma show started. He smashed Archer for a couple of sixes in the next over and dished out them similar treatment to Wood as well. Abhishek had not broken a sweat, as Jamie Overton was greeted with back-to-back sixes that saw him reach his fifty off only 17 balls, the second-fastest an Indian has scored in this format, while Tilak Varma didn’t lag behind with a burst of fours as India also broke their previous record for the highest total (95) in the powerplay.
Those mid center dreams of bringing down the scoring rate in the powerplay were shredded to bits in two from Adil Rashid and two from Liam Livingstone for Abhishek. That was a great help for England’s cause as Surya Kumar Yadav’s poor run continued. But India had piled on 143 by half-time and England needed the wicket of Abhishek to apply the brakes onto the hosts further. Abhishek did press the brakes after he completed his hundred in just 37 balls but now it was Shivam Dubey’s turn to keep on bludgeoning.
As England’s ploy of slow him down with pacers boomeranged as Dube took boundaries off Archer and Overton to reach 24 off 9 at one point. At that stage, England did come up with a mini fightback, claiming the wickets of Dube, Hardik Pandya and Rinku Singh in the space of a few overs and that little phase is what may have stopped India from reaching 250 runs. But Abhishek, by adding to his sixes tally and by eventually passing the mark for the most sixes (13) in a T20I innings by an Indian, created enough damage at the death again. When he left the last two overs yielded just 10 runs for the home side but it was more than enough.
ENGLAND
With 248 in sight, Salt’s intentions were crystal clear as he came out all guns blaring. Mohammed Shami was welcomed back with 4,4,6 but found redemption with the wicket of Ben Duckett. England had raced to 48/1 after the first four overs but the real challenge was always going to be against spin. And as expected it was spin that did for any faint hopes they had as Varun Chakaravarthy picked up first ball with the vital wicket of dangerman Jos Buttler.
Though Salt had blitzed his way to 48 off just 20 at that point, Ravi Bishnoi and Chakaravarthy killed the chase in 6.1 overs with Harry Brook and Livingstone following suit. The opener then clobbered Chakaravarthy over deep midwicket and reached his fifty off just 21 balls, while Jacob Bethell also flashed his wrist with a six in the same over. But from 82/4, England suddenly fell to 90/8 in the space of 2.1 overs. The wickets came from the unlikeliest of sources as Dube and centurion Abhishek mowed that batting lineup by taking two wickets apiece. Shami then returned to send England to their death as the visitors were in ruins at 97 all out in under 11 overs.
Brief scores:
India 247/9 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 135; Brydon Carse 3/38) beat England 97 in 10.3 overs (Phil Salt 55; Mohammed Shami 3/25, Abhishek Sharma 2/3) by 150 runs.