'I Had The Belief...': Abhishek Sharma Reflects On Career-Best T20I Knock Against England
The young Indian batter Abhishek Sharma played a key role in winning the fifth T20I against England on February 2, Sunday, at the Wankhede Stadium. He scored a match-winning knock, scoring 135 runs off just 54 balls, smashing the England bowlers like nothing, hitting seven fours and 13 sixes. India thrashed England by 150 runs in the final match, clinching the series 4-1, all thanks to Abhishek's powerful knock, which was full of sixes. He smashed the most sixes by an Indian in a T20I knock.
In the post-match press conference, he talked about his illustrious knock, stating that it was all possible because of the efforts he put in the practice. He didn't forget to give credit to the coaches and the captain for showing trust and backing him when he was not performing well.
"You can ask any player; such matches are very few (and far between). I would say it was all possible because of the efforts I put in the practice, the backing I got from the coaches and the captain when I was not getting the runs or not bowling well."
"All these things calculate (work out well) at the end, and I had the belief that on my day, I would play an innings like this. I do not remember half of them now, to be honest."
Further, the 24-year-old said that he enjoyed playing against the England pacers, and Adil Rashid.
"But the way I used the pace of the bowlers over covers or even against Adil Rashid, it felt good. I try to generate the match scenarios in nets and use the bowlers the way I am going to face in the match."
Abhishek also said that there's no sense of fear or rivalry among other players. He mentioned that he met Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill at the awards ceremony. His main dream in life is to play for India.
"I met Jaiswal and Shubman yesterday (on Saturday). We have been playing together since U-16; there is no such feeling. The only dream was to play for India, and since all three of us are playing, there is no bigger thing than that."
However, he didn't forget to mention the support he got from his family and said that it feels great to make them proud.
"My mother and sister are here for the match, and when your parents are here and you play an innings like that in front of them, it makes you feel happy and proud for being able to share such a moment."