Abhishek 135 helps India seal biggest T20I win over England, bag series 4-1

Abhishek’s was India’s highest T20I score, and he also scored the most maximums by an Indian. The Yuvraj Singh disciple and Brian Lara’s current favourite gave his heroes 135 reasons to smile. The high and mighty had occupied the VVIP seats inside the stadium. But the lanky left-hander from Amritsar made sure the focus remained firmly on him.

Before and after a strong lbw call in the first over, Sanju Samson pulled Jofra Archer for two sixes in front and behind square, only to fall in the next over, giving a catch to deep backward square leg off Mark Wood. Consistently falling to the short ball, Samson has been left with work to do.

At the other end, Abhishek was meeting England’s fire with fire. He cut, pulled, launched into lofted drives against Jofra Archer and Wood as if smashing 150 kph rockets was second nature. “Abhishek is becoming one of my favourite batters,” Kevin Pietersen tweeted. The former England batting star wasn’t alone. The Wankhede stadium, packed to the rafters, stood to applaud when the left-hander raced to his fifty in 24 minutes of work - three fours and five sixes in the 17 balls he faced.