Wellington: India opener Abhishek Sharma delivered a sensational century against New Zealand in the third T20I, but his mentor Yuvraj Singh had a playful reminder for him after the left-hander narrowly missed the former all-rounder’s record of the fastest T20I half-century by an Indian.
Abhishek reached his half-century in 15 balls and went on to score 113 off just 38 deliveries as India defeated New Zealand by six wickets at Hnry Stadium on Tuesday. Following the performance, Yuvraj took to social media to tease his protégé about his inability to score 50 runs in just 12 balls.
“You still can’t get 50 off 12, can you @OfficialAbhi04! Looks like two left-handers batting in their backyard!” Yuvraj wrote on X.
Abhishek responded with humour and respect for his mentor, explaining that scoring a half-century in 12 balls is far from easy and that such milestones are not what batters should prioritise during a match.
Abhishek says 12-ball fifty is no easy feat
Speaking during the post-match presentation, Abhishek acknowledged the extraordinary nature of Yuvraj’s achievement at the inaugural ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2007.
“I don’t know what cricket he was playing back at that time, but it’s not that easy at all,” Abhishek said, responding to the playful challenge.
He added that reaching a half-century in 12 deliveries cannot simply be planned as a routine batting target, as such performances happen only occasionally.
Abhishek also emphasised that his priority, alongside teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, was to provide India with a flying start rather than chase an individual record.
“As a batter, we don’t go for that milestone. We always want to win the game for the team. So that was the plan, and that’s what we want to take throughout the series as well, and it went well,” he said.
The comments reflected the approach behind India’s remarkable chase in Wellington, where the opening pair put New Zealand under immediate pressure and made a target of 199 look surprisingly manageable.
Yuvraj’s historic record remains intact
Yuvraj established his place in T20 cricket history during India’s match against England at the 2007 T20 World Cup in Durban, South Africa.
He smashed six sixes in an over bowled by Stuart Broad, becoming the first player to achieve the feat in men’s T20 Internationals. The assault helped him reach his half-century in just 12 balls, a record that remains the fastest T20I fifty by an Indian batter.
The innings became one of the defining moments of India’s successful campaign at the tournament and helped establish Yuvraj as one of the early global stars of the T20 format.
Abhishek’s 15-ball fifty against New Zealand was an outstanding effort in its own right, but it left Yuvraj with an opportunity to remind his student that the benchmark remains exceptionally difficult to match.
The relationship between the two left-handers extends beyond the cricket field. Yuvraj has mentored Abhishek over the past few years, helping him develop his attacking approach and prepare for the demands of top-level cricket.
Abhishek credits preparation and coaching staff
Abhishek also highlighted the work carried out behind the scenes as a key factor in his ability to attack bowlers with confidence.
He credited India’s coaching staff for helping the batters prepare through extensive practice against sidearm deliveries, which simulate the pace and trajectory of deliveries faced in competitive matches.
“I feel it’s not that, I wouldn’t say it’s easy, that easy, but it’s just the preparation behind the scenes. I would say a special mention to our coaches because of the sidearms; we’ve been playing them a lot,” he said.
The opener explained that his shot selection also depends on assessing the conditions, ground dimensions and the bowlers he faces.
“If you see the conditions and the dimensions, that’s always in your mind, and then you have to keep the bowlers also in your mind and play the shots according to the bowlers. And that’s all I do,” he added.
His comments underlined that explosive batting is not simply about hitting boundaries at every opportunity. Preparation, reading the conditions and selecting the right shots remain important even when a batter is scoring at an extraordinary rate.
Record-breaking century powers India to victory
Abhishek’s 113 off 38 balls featured 11 sixes and nine fours. He reached his century in just 35 deliveries, putting New Zealand’s bowling attack under sustained pressure.
Sooryavanshi provided equally aggressive support at the other end, scoring 45 off 19 balls. The pair added 133 runs for the opening wicket, helping India race to 118 without losing a wicket during the powerplay.
India ultimately chased down New Zealand’s 198/3 in 13.2 overs, winning by six wickets with 40 balls remaining. The victory gave India an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
Abhishek was named Player of the Match for his outstanding contribution. His innings demonstrated why he is regarded as one of India’s most dangerous batters in the shortest format.
While Yuvraj’s 12-ball fifty continues to stand as a remarkable benchmark, Abhishek’s response made clear that his focus remains on winning matches for India. For the young opener, the immediate objective is to maintain his attacking form and help the team continue its winning run rather than chase a record for its own sake.