Abhishek Sharma breaks T20I record as India seal series win in Australia

Indian opener Abhishek Sharma has made history, becoming the fastest player to reach 1000 runs in T20 Internationals (T20Is), based on balls faced. This record-breaking achievement coincided with the fifth and final T20I against Australia in Brisbane, a match which was ultimately abandoned due to lightning and rain, securing a 2-1 series victory for India.

India were in complete control when lightning stopped play, followed shortly by heavy rain that forced the abandonment. India had made a blazing start, cruising at 52/0 after just 4.5 overs. Abhishek was also dropped twice by Australia in this game.

At the crease when the covers came on were:

Abhishek Sharma: 23 not out off 13 balls.

Shubman Gill: 29 not out off 16 balls.

Asbhishek Sharma achieved the 1000-run milestone in just 528 balls, shattering the previous world record held by Australia's Tim David, who reached the same benchmark in 569 balls. Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav is now third on the list, having achieved 1000 runs in 573 balls.

India's strong start put them in a dominant position before the weather intervened. As the first T20I of the series was also washed out, and India having won the third and fourth matches, the abandonment meant India clinched the five-match T20 International series with a 2-1 margin.

Sharma's ability to dominate attacks from the outset with his trademark aggressive strokeplay has made him a vital part of India's T20 setup and one of the most exciting cricketers to watch. He has also been named the Player of the Series.

Upon receiving his award, Sharma expressed his excitement about the tour and his approach to batting. "I was excited from the time the series was confirmed," he said. The young opener noted the pitches were batting-friendly and felt the team could have scored bigger totals, but were happy with their performance.

Sharma also spoke about his specific battles with Australian pacers, particularly Josh Hazlewood. "The way Hazlewood was bowling would be useful. I've enjoyed my battles with him. I was practicing for these kinda bowlers because that's how you build momentum for your team," he stated. He credited the support from his coach and captain for his success, stating, "They've given me clarity and space to go express myself".

Looking ahead, Sharma mentioned the upcoming T20 World Cup, calling it "one of the biggest tournaments". He said it would be a "dream-come-true moment" to play in the event, and vowed to "make sure I'll be ready for it".