CHENNAI: By the time the first over of the chase during the third T20I against New Zealand was over, there was a clear idea of how things were going to pan out. India had already knocked off 26 runs off the 199-run target, and Abhishek Sharma — having hit the first ball he faced for six — was just getting started.
Abhishek hitting his first ball for a six at this point comes as no surprise. It is something he has tried to do over the last two years; quite successfully. If it is in his arc, he goes for it. That is just how he operates. And he does it so consistently that more often than not, it comes off.
It is also why he is regarded as one of, if not the best, T20 opener at the moment. Tuesday was just another day of showing the world why. India had already taken a 2-0 lead and another win in Wellington would mean they seal the series and put it in the bag.
For Abhishek, it was a chance to get back on the big score wagon with just two fifties to show for in last nine games. And this time, he had Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for company with Sanju Samson moving down to No 3. He started off with a six off Jacob Duffy, before launching Adam Milne into the stands. It did not matter whether the ball was pitched short or full, nor did it matter how fast it was coming at him, Abhishek kept sending it in one direction — over the ropes. Ask Michael Bracwell, whose off-spin had no effect, as Abhishek lofted him over extra cover. Or Kyle Jamieson, who stood and watched in awe with a wry smile as the white leather flew on either side of square.
It almost seemed like an autoplay mode in the beginner level of an EA Sports Cricket game. Abhishek was in such a zone that he had seen it coming. Quite literally. He would say as much after the innings: "I manifested this innings, and it happened." Till he was in the middle, every record looked shaky, including his 30-ball hundred. The only thing that was out of reach was Yuvraj Singh's 12-ball fifty, something Abhishek's mentor took to social media to remind him in a cheeky congratulatory post.
India, meanwhile, had crossed the 50-run mark in 2.2 overs and 100 in five overs. By the time powerplay got over, Black Caps were just going through the motions watching the white leather fly around — Glenn Phillips did what he does, trying to catch up with the ball but with little success. Vaibhav got out for 49 from 15 balls, but Abhishek kept going. When the record for the fastest 100 was off, he took his time — read three singles — before getting to the three-figure mark. The stadium was on its feet, as was the dressing room and his batting partner Samson. Abhishek, however, sat on the ground and posed like he was involved in some meditation. He would hit a couple more boundaries before getting out for 113 from 38 balls, but by then, it was just a formality.
Abhishek credited the support staff and side-armers for his preparations and how it helped him on Tuesday. "Key was pretty much simple - that me and Vaibhav enjoy our time. When we were fielding, we saw there was some extra bounce. Vaibhav started off well, and we took the momentum from there. It is not that easy, but it is down to the preparation. Huge shoutout to our coaching staff and our side-armers. We had a good practice session yesterday (Monday) and I just wanted to use it," he reflected.
When asked about Yuvraj's post, Abhishek was prompt. "I have said this before. I don't know what cricket he was playing at the time (smiles). If anyone wants to go out and bat like that, it is not easy. It is not easy to get a fifty in 12 balls," Abhishek said.
Brief scores: New Zealand 198/3 in 20 ovs (Mitchell 89 n.o, Allen 40; Arshdeep 1/33, Axar 1/36) lost to India 199/4 in 13.2 ovs (Sooryavanshi 45, Abhishek 113; Jamieson 2/45)