Abhishek Sharma scripts history, enters Indian cricket’s record books | Cricket News

Abhishek Sharma in India (AP Photo)

India’s all-rounder Abhishek Sharma etched his name into the record books after registering the best bowling figures by an Indian opener in T20I cricket during the second T20I against Zimbabwe on Saturday. The left-arm spinner returned figures of 3/17, outscoring every Indian opener to produce the best bowling performance in the shortest format. His spell came as India thrashed Zimbabwe by 90 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. AbhishekToday’s effort sits alongside two iconic performances by Indian openers across the format. Vinoo Mankad continues to hold the record in Tests with his remarkable 8/52 against Pakistan in 1952, while Ravi Shastri’s 5/15 against Australia in 1991 remains the best by an Indian opener in ODIs.

Best bowling figures of an Indian opener:

Abhishek endured a disappointing outing with the bat after being dismissed cheaply by Blessing Muzarabani, but he made a decisive impact with the ball. Introduced as a part-time option, the left-arm spinner struck three times to ensure Zimbabwe could not get up during their daunting chase of 220. Zimbabwe’s chase lost momentum after Brian Bennett’s early aggression was cut short, and the visitors continued to chip away at regular intervals. Abhishek’s three wickets, along with two each from Yash Thakur and Prince Yadav, tied the hosts for 129. Earlier, India recovered from 29/2 thanks to that Ishan KishanA commanding 81 and Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 60. Kishan powered the innings before pacing the last half of his knock, while Tilak produced a fluent half-century to power India to 219/5. The bowlers finished the job in spirited fashion, with Abhishek sealing the win by setting a new Indian record.