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Abhishek top-scored for India within the third T20I against South Africa on Sunday, whereas the 26-year-old star impressed together with his bowling and dismissed two opposition batters.
Abhishek Sharma top-scored for India in third T20I against South Africa. (Picture Credit: AFP)
World No. 1 T20I batter Abhishek Sharma top-scored for India within the third T20I against South Africa, which was played on the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday (December 14). The 25-year-old left-handed batter faced 18 balls and, with the assistance of three fours and three sixes, scored 35 runs. But he didn’t win the Player Of The Match award in the competition that India won by 7 wickets after chasing down the 118-run goal in 15.5 overs for the lack of three wickets.
As a substitute the award was bagged by Abhishek’s Punjab teammate Arshdeep Singh. Arshdeep, who’s India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is, bowled 4 overs for the Suryakumar Yadav-led side and dismissed two South African batters for 13 runs.
Other than Arshdeep, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav also dismissed two South African batters each within the third T20I.
After winning the POTM award within the third T20I, Arshdeep dedicated it to his 10-month-old niece who was present on the HPCA Stadium on Sunday.
Arshdeep overtakes Bhuvneshwar
Arshdeep led India’s bowling attack within the third T20I on Sunday and opened his wicket account in the primary over itself by dismissing Reeza Hendricks.
On the fourth ball of the primary over, he trapped Hendricks in front of the wickets. The correct-handed batter was given not out by the on-field umpire, but Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav challenged the choice after Arshdeep insisted, and within the replays the ball was hitting the stumps, due to which the choice was reversed and the batter was given out.
The wicket of Hendricks, who made a three-ball duck, helped Arshdeep break Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s record of taking probably the most wickets for India within the powerplay over of T20I matches.
Bhuvneshwar has dismissed 47 batters thus far in the primary six overs of T20I matches for Team India, whereas Arshdeep now has 48 wickets to his credit.
The world record for taking probably the most wickets within the powerplay in T20Is is within the name of former Recent Zealand pacer Tim Southee. Southee dismissed 58 batters in the primary six overs of T20I matches.
Southee is followed by Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi. Afridi has dismissed 55 batters thus far in the primary six overs.
Click here so as to add News18 as your chosen news source on Google. December 14, 2025, 23:24 IST
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