It was a quick turnaround for Abhishek Sharma at the Harare Sports Club. The low of bagging a duck on debut was banished with a thunderous hundred he scored in the second match.
Abhishek, who smashed eight sixes and seven fours before he fell to Wellington Masakadza for 100 off 47 balls, reveals he used the bat of his childhood friend Shubman Gill, who is the captain of the current Indian squad.
“Ye U-14 se chal raha hai. Jab bbhi mai uske bat se khela hun acha hua hai (I am doing this since our U-14 days, whenever I play with his bat I do well),” Abhishek told BCCI.tv.
“I want to tell everyone that I played with his bat only. It is very difficult to get a bat from him, he doesn’t give away that easily.
Abhishek Sharma hit three consecutive sixes to reach his maiden T20I 100. (BCCI/Twitter)
“It is my last option, when I need that comeback I ask him for his bat. He gave me his bat very timely, it was a much-needed innings for me and for the team as well,” he said.
Two extremely special phone 📱 calls, one memorable bat-story 👌 & a first 💯 in international cricket!
𝗗𝗢 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦!
A Hundred Special, ft. Abhishek Sharma 👏 👏 – By @ameyatilak
WATCH 🎥 🔽 #TeamIndia | #ZIMvIND | @IamAbhiSharma4 pic.twitter.com/0tfBXgfru9
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 8, 2024
Chat with mentor Yuvraj Singh
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During the interview, Abhishek called his mentor Yuvraj Singh, who congratulated him for his fine knock.
“Very proud. Well done. You deserve it. Many more to come. This is just a start,” Yuvraj told Abhishek.
The youngster also revealed what Yuvraj told me after he got out on zero in the first match.
“I spoke to him yesterday and he said I don’t know why but he was very happy when I was out on zero. He said that’s a good start. I think he must be very proud of me just like my family,” he said.
“I am playing at this level because of him. The hard work he has put on me. For the past two, three years he has really worked hard not only on my cricket even off the field as well.”
Abhishek on his knock
Abhishek put behind his nightmare T20I debut on Saturday — a four-ball duck and scored his first T20 century as India crushed Zimbabwe by 100 runs in the second match to level the five-match series at 1-1.
Abhishek Sharma after scoring a ton against Zimbabwe. (BCCI/Twitter)
“Today I felt like it is my day and I should take it deep,” he said.
“After we lost, the positive was that we didn’t had much time to think about it. The next match was a day later.
“When I make my mind that I can attack this bowler, I don’t give it a second thought. I got that flow and I just wanted to express myself.
“I spoke to Rutu as well, he also said that whatever in your are just go and hit.”
The third T20 is on Wednesday.
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