Indian cricket witnessed another explosive chapter on Wednesday night as Abhishek Sharma etched his name into the record books with a sensational 22-ball half-century during the first T20I against New Zealand in Nagpur. The fearless left-handed opener delivered a breathtaking innings that not only powered India’s innings but also set a new world record in T20 international cricket.
Abhishek’s knock was the very definition of modern T20 batting — aggressive, fearless, and completely dominant. From the first over itself, he took the attack to the New Zealand bowlers, dismantling their plans with clean striking and exceptional timing. He brought up his half-century with four boundaries and four towering sixes, leaving the packed Nagpur crowd on its feet.
With this innings, Abhishek Sharma became the first batter in T20I history to score eight half-centuries in 25 balls or fewer, surpassing some of the biggest names in world cricket. Previously, he was tied with India captain Suryakumar Yadav, England’s Phil Salt, and West Indies power-hitter Evin Lewis, all of whom had seven such rapid fifties.
Most T20I half-centuries in 25 balls or fewer:
- Abhishek Sharma – 8
- Phil Salt – 7
- Suryakumar Yadav – 7
- Evin Lewis – 7
The innings also marked the fastest T20I half-century by an Indian batter against New Zealand, breaking the joint record held by KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma, who had reached the milestone in 23 balls.
Earlier in the match, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and opted to bowl first, citing the presence of dew later in the evening. The visitors handed pacer Kristian Clarke his T20I debut, hoping to exploit early movement under lights.
India, meanwhile, made a few notable changes to their playing XI. Left-handed wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan returned to the T20I setup for the first time since 2023, while Shubman Gill was omitted. Sanju Samson was promoted to open the innings alongside an in-form Abhishek Sharma, a move that paid immediate dividends.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav, who was playing his 100th T20I match, explained the team’s approach at the toss.
“We were looking to bowl first because we felt there was dew around 8:30 pm during our practice. But we don’t mind batting first either — we’ve done well in those conditions,” Suryakumar said. He also confirmed that Shreyas Iyer, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi and Kuldeep Yadav were the players missing out on selection for the opener.
The T20I series carries added significance as it serves as a key preparatory phase ahead of the T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka. Suryakumar Yadav-led India enter the tournament as defending champions and will be keen to build momentum and clarity around combinations.
New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner acknowledged the challenge of touring India, especially after his side recently made history by defeating India in an ODI series on Indian soil for the first time.
“Looks like a pretty good wicket and a high-scoring one. Last week was pretty special. Every team knows how hard it is to come to India and win, but this is a fresh series. India are a tough team at home, and this is a great start for us in terms of preparation for the World Cup,” Santner said.
With Abhishek Sharma’s record-breaking innings setting the tone, India couldn’t have asked for a better statement performance at the start of the series — and a timely reminder that their young guns are ready to shine on the biggest stage.
