Abhishek Sharma, playing only his second international match, smashed a 47-ball 100 as India beat Zimbabwe by 100 runs in the second T20I to level the series in Harare on Sunday.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, India lost captain Shubman Gill cheaply in the second over. However, Ruturaj Gaikwad joined hands with Sharma in the middle to stitch a 137-run second wicket stand to change the course of the match.
Sharma and Gaikwad took their time to settle in as the Zimbabwe bowlers kept things tight to concede only 36 runs in the batting powerplay.
However, the left-handed Sharma soon pressed the accelerator. The 23-year batter let loose in the 11th over bowled by Dion Myers, hitting the medium pacer for three boundaries and two sixes to pocket 28 runs from the over.
Sharma also brought up his half-century in the over off just 33 deliveries. He then went after Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza in the 13th over before bringing up his century with three consecutive sixes off Wellington Masakadza in the next over off just 46 deliveries.
Sharma was stumped off Masakadza with the very next ball after bringing up his first-ever international ton.
However, Gaikwad continued the onslaught from the other end with Rinku Singh for company.
The former brought up his half-century off 38 deliveries and finished unbeaten on 77, while Singh smashed an unbeaten 48 off 22 balls to take India to 234/2 in their alloted 20 overs – the highest ever T20I total against Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe endured the worst possible start to the chase as opener Innocent Kaia was cleaned up in the very first over by Mukesh Kumar.
The hosts lost three more wickets in the powerplay as Brian Bennt, Myers, and Raza all fell within the first four overs.
Despite a valiant partnership between opener Wessly Madhevere and Luke Jongwe for the eighth wicket after being reduced for 76-7, Zimbabwe never came close to troubling the Indian bowlers.
Kumar and Avesh Khan finished with three wickets apiece as India bowled out their opponents for 134 with eight deliveries left in the innings.
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