T20I series: India humiliates England in last match, wraps up 4-1 win

IRRESTITABLE Abhishek Sharma toppled many records on his way to score a 54-ball 135, the second-fastest century and the highest score by an Indian batter in T20Is, as the hosts crushed a feeble England by 150 runs in the fifth T20I to take the series 4-1 at the Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai on Sunday (2).

Abhishek went hammer and tongs to power India to 247/9, their highest-ever T20I total against England, after the visitors opted to bowl. Jos Buttler’s men surrendered meekly, getting bowled out for just 97 in 10.3 overs.

India’s win by 150 runs is now their second biggest by a margin of runs in T20Is after their 168-run hammering of New Zealand in 2023.

Phil Salt’s initial onslaught of a 23-ball 55 with seven fours and three sixes kept England on track for a mammoth chase, but rest of the batters produced an uninspired show, crumbling like ninepins.

The major chunk of England batters — Ben Duckett (0), Buttler (7), Harry Brook (2) and Liam Livingstone (9) — together made an embarrassing 18 runs on a perfect batting track.

There wasn’t any resistance from the tail either. After hammering their bowlers, Abhishek returned to haunt England batters to take two wickets (2/3) in his only over, dismissing Brydon Carse (3) and Jamie Overton (1).

Mohammed Shami returned 3/25, Shivam Dube took 2/11, Varun Chakravarthy claimed 2/25 and Ravi Bishnoi bagged 1/9.

But the night belonged to only one man as Abhishek tore into the English bowling with disdain, producing a knock of the highest quality, replete with compelling strokes against pace and spin alike as he etched his name in record books.

The 24-year-old looked set to break Rohit Sharma’s record for the fastest T20I hundred (35 balls) for an Indian batter but eventually achieved it in 37 balls for the second-fastest three-figure knock, having already recorded the second-quickest fifty off 17 balls for the country.

But Abhishek did break the record for the most sixes by an Indian in a T20I knock when he smacked Brydon Carse (3/38) for his 11th six in the 17th over, eventually finishing with 13 hits over the ropes.

Abhishek’s monumental innings, which contained seven fours, is now also the highest individual score by an Indian in the format, going past Shubman Gill's 126 not out against New Zealand at Ahmedabad in 2023.

While scoring more than half of the team total, Abhishek also helped India set their highest T20I score against England, bettering their total of 224/2 at Ahmedabad in 2021.

While Sanju Samson (16) and Suryakumar Yadav’s (2) ordinary runs persisted, Tilak Varma (24) and Shivam Dube (30) forged robust stands with Abhishek. (PTI)