Abhishek Sharma scripts rare record with 3-wicket spell, becomes third Indian to achieve feat in 74 years

New Delhi: Abhishek Sharma is widely known for his fearless batting at the top of the order, but this time it was his bowling that stole the spotlight. The left-handed opener delivered a match-winning spell against Zimbabwe in the second T20I and achieved a unique milestone for India in the shortest format.

Abhishek Sharma shines with the ball against Zimbabwe

Abhishek produced an outstanding bowling performance at the Harare Sports Club, finishing with figures of 3 for 17 from his four overs. He was precise with his bowling and kept Zimbabwe batters in the game and bagged three crucial wickets to play a key role in India’s convincing win.

While Abhishek is usually expected to provide quick starts with the bat, he proved that he can also have a big impact with the ball when his team needs him.

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Third-best bowling figures by an Indian T20I opener

Abhishek’s impressive spell is the third-best bowling figures by an Indian opening batter in T20 International cricket.

His performance highlighted his worth as a genuine all-rounder adding another feather to his cap for his developing international career.

Also Read: Shreyas Iyer’s India reclaim No.1 ICC T20I ranking after dominant series win over Zimbabwe

Vinoo Mankad and Ravi Shastri top the chart

Some of India’s best opening batters also made memorable contributions with the ball across formats.

In Test cricket, the record belongs to legendary all-rounder Vinoo Mankad who took 8 wickets for 52 runs against Pakistan in 1952. It remains one of the finest bowling performances by an Indian opener.

In One-Day Internationals, former India captain and head coach Ravi Shastri holds the record after taking 5 wickets for 15 runs against Australia in 1991. Shastri regularly contributed with both bat and ball during his international career.

Abhishek continues to grow as an all-rounder

Abhishek’s latest performance once again underlined his ability to contribute in more than one department. It is not very often that openers are asked to bowl regularly in T20 cricket but he showed that he has it in him to provide the crucial breakthroughs when needed.

The 24-year-old now has 11 wickets in 36 T20I innings which further cements his position as one of the most promising all-rounders in India. With bat and ball in hand Abhishek keeps becoming a more and more valuable player for the Indian team.