India Wins Fifth T20I Clash Against Three Lions   

The fifth T20I game between India and England was played in Mumbai on February 2. The hosts claimed their fourth win (247 for nine against 97) thanks to a dominant performance by Abhishek Sharma. He powered his way to 135 from 54 balls.

Dominant Victory

India won the series early, but as head coach Gautam Gambhir said earlier, the team aims to tune up seriously for every match. Therefore, the players showed a serious mindset and managed to deal with the strengths of the Three Lions. Mohammed Shami, Shivam Dube, and Abhishek Sharma were the team’s main protagonists. The latter single-handedly dominated the innings. The opponent’s bowlers had no answer to such an aggressive and efficient game. Their squad settled for just 97 for 10.3 in 10.3 overs.

Sharma’s Records

Abhishek Sharma’s impressive performance has enabled him to set multiple records. For example, his 135 runs off 54 balls established a record for Indian batters in T20I matches. Moreover, the player smashed 13 sixes, surpassing his team’s previous record of 10 sixes. Abhishek reached his century in just 10.1 overs, making it the second-quickest T20I hundred ever recorded. This remains the best result when considering games involving full-member nations only.  

Sharma also scored the most runs in the first six overs with 58 runs.

What Next

Having handled England in the T20I clashes, India is preparing to play three more ODI matches against the Three Lions. Meanwhile, the team continues its intensive preparations for the Champions Trophy. The prestigious tournament matches will start on February 19-20 in Pakistan and UAE.