Sent out to open after Punjab opted to bat first, Abhishek found rhythm immediately. He blasted his way to a half-century in just 12 deliveries, launching into his former SunRisers Hyderabad teammate Mohammed Shami for 23 runs in a single over.
The scale of the assault was astonishing. By the time he reached his fifty, the left-hander had scored 50 of his first 51 runs in boundaries, smashing five sixes and five fours to leave Bengal stunned.
Alongside him, Prabhsimran Singh also fired up early, helping Punjab surge past 120 inside eight overs. Abhishek continued to muscle sixes straight down the ground, repeatedly targeting the V region with brutal precision.
Equals Rohit Sharma; only Virat Kohli ahead
The carnage didn’t stop. Abhishek stormed to a century in 32 balls, finishing with 11 sixes and seven fours before reaching triple figures. This knock marked his eighth T20 hundred in 157 innings, bringing him level with Rohit Sharma. Among Indian batters, only Virat Kohli (nine) has more T20 centuries.Just last season, Abhishek smashed a 28-ball hundred against Meghalaya, the joint-fastest by any Indian in T20 cricket. He also struck 87 sixes in T20s in 2024, the most by an Indian man in a single year.
Breaks his own six-hitting record
With 16 sixes in this innings alone, Abhishek went past his 2024 tally, becoming the first Indian to cross 90 T20 sixes in a calendar year.
Most T20 sixes by an Indian in a calendar year
91* (33 innings) – Abhishek Sharma (2025)
87 (38 innings) – Abhishek Sharma (2024)
85 (41 innings) – Suryakumar Yadav (2022)
71 (33 innings) – Suryakumar Yadav (2023)
66 (31 innings) – Rishabh Pant (2018)
63 (42 innings) – Shreyas Iyer (2019)
60 (32 innings) – Sanju Samson (2024)
Abhishek eventually departed for a spectacular 148 off 52 balls, with 16 sixes and eight fours, but not before powering Punjab to a score beyond 300. They have now become only the second Indian T20 side, after Baroda against Sikkim in 2024, to breach the 300-run barrier.
### Abhishek Sharma's Record-Shattering Rampage: 12-Ball Fifty, 32-Ball Ton Lights Up SMAT
In a display of pure T20 pyrotechnics, Punjab opener Abhishek Sharma produced one of the most destructive innings in cricket history on November 29, 2025, during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025-26 Elite Group C clash against Bengal at the Gymkhana Ground in Hyderabad. Batting first after winning the toss, Punjab unleashed a barrage to post 310/5 in 20 overs—the fourth-highest total in T20 cricket history and the second instance of a 300+ score in SMAT (after Baroda's 349 vs Sikkim in 2023). Bengal crumbled to 198/9, handing Punjab a commanding 112-run victory.
#### The Carnage Unfolds: Abhishek's Blistering 148
Sharma, opening alongside Prabhsimran Singh, treated the Bengal attack like target practice, racing to his fifty in just **12 balls**—the joint-second fastest by an Indian in men's T20s (level with Yuvraj Singh's iconic 2007 effort) and the joint-third fastest overall. He didn't let up, converting it into a **32-ball hundred**, the quickest by an Indian in T20 cricket. His eventual 148 off 52 balls came at a strike rate of 284.61, with **128 of those runs in boundaries**: 8 fours and a whopping **16 sixes**. The left-hander's assault included 50 of his first 51 runs coming off boundaries (5x4, 5x6), and he powered Punjab past 120 in just eight overs through a explosive opening stand with Prabhsimran (70 off 35 balls).
A highlight? Sharma, facing his former Sunrisers Hyderabad teammate Mohammed Shami, plundered 23 runs off one over from the Bengal pacer, who ended up leaking 61/4—his most expensive T20 spell. Sharma's sixes were muscled straight down the ground, often into the "V" region, leaving the crowd in awe.
#### Records Shattered: A Night of Milestones
Sharma's knock rewrote the T20 record books, both individually and for Punjab. Here's a breakdown:
| Record Category | Achievement | Previous/Notes |
|-----------------|-------------|----------------|
| **Fastest 50 by Indian (T20s)** | 12 balls (joint) | Level with Yuvraj Singh; behind Ashutosh Sharma's 11-ball 50. Joint-3rd fastest overall. |
| **Fastest 100 by Indian (T20s)** | 32 balls | Previous: 33 balls (multiple, incl. Sharma's own IPL ton). |
| **T20 Hundreds (Indians)** | 8th overall (157 inns) | Equals Rohit Sharma; trails Virat Kohli (9). |
| **Individual Score (Indians, T20s)** | 148 (2nd highest) | Behind Sanvir Singh's 165*. |
| **SMAT Centuries** | 5 (most ever) | Previous: 4 (shared). |
| **Sixes in Innings (SMAT)** | 16 (2nd most) | Behind 18 (one innings). |
| **Sixes in Calendar Year (T20s)** | 91 (2025, most by Indian) | Broke own 87 from 2024; first Indian over 90. |
| **Team Total (T20s)** | 310/5 (4th highest) | Behind 344/5 (Trinbago), 336/4 (South Africa), 320/3 (Punjab). |
| **Sixes in Innings (T20s, team)** | 28 | World record; prev. 27 (Zimbabwe vs Gambia, 2024). |
Punjab's total marked only the second 300+ in Indian domestic T20s, underscoring the batting revolution in SMAT.
#### Bengal's Valiant but Vain Chase
Chasing 311, Bengal started strongly with Abhimanyu Easwaran unbeaten on a gritty 130* off 66 balls, but the rest collapsed spectacularly—only Akash Deep (31 off 7) offered resistance. The side lost nine wickets for 68 runs, unable to match the firepower. Punjab's bowlers, led by disciplined lines, sealed a morale-boosting win.
#### Buzz on X: "Pure Carnage!"
The cricket world erupted on X, with fans and officials hailing Sharma as the "new Yuvraj." BCCI Domestic called it a "record-breaking day," highlighting his SMAT century milestone and sharing highlight reels of the six-hitting frenzy. Punjab Cricket Association dubbed him "History's New Name," while fans posted: "Abhishek Sharma on fire—148 off 52! 16 sixes, 12-ball fifty... SMAT domination! 🔥" Even SRH loyalists chimed in: "SRH players roaring ahead... Abhishek smashed a hundred today." One viral clip captured the "ruthless" destruction, racking up thousands of views.
This innings cements Sharma's rise—from IPL sensation to T20 record-breaker—positioning him as a prime contender for India's white-ball setup. With the SMAT heating up, expect more fireworks from the 25-year-old Punjabi dasher. What a time to be a cricket fan!
No comments:
Post a Comment