Indian opener Abhishek Sharma completed 1,000 runs in T20Is after scoring an unbeaten 23 off just 13 before the stoppage in play in the fifth and final T20I against Australia at the Gabba, in Brisbane, on Saturday, November 8. Abhishek became the fastest to get to the milestone in terms of balls (528) among full-member nations, surpassing skipper Suryakumar Yadav, while becoming the second-fastest Indian to achieve the milestone after Virat Kohli in terms of innings (28).
Fastest to 1,000 runs in T20Is (balls) - full-member nations
528 - Abhishek Sharma (India)
573 - Suryakumar Yadav (India)
599 - Phil Salt (England)
604 - Glenn Maxwell (Australia)
Fastest to 1,000 runs in T20Is (innings)
24 - Dawid Malan (England), Sabawoon Davizi (Czech Republic)
25 - Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (Japan)
26 - Babar Azam (Pakistan), Devon Conway (New Zealand), Muhammad Waseem (UAE)
27 - Virat Kohli (India), Karanbir Singh (Austria)
28 - Abhishek Sharma (India)
Abhishek required 39 runs to get to the milestone in the penultimate game of the series on the Gold Coast, but missed out after getting out for 28. The southpaw almost missed his record on Saturday as well before being dropped by Glenn Maxwell on five.
However, the 25-year-old was able to reach the landmark before getting dropped again. Abhishek did smash Nathan Ellis off a short ball to get some sort of a rhythm, sending it over the boundary over the leg side. The lightning and rain disrupted the momentum for the Indian batters, as India had raced off to 52 off just 4.5 overs.
Abhishek's opening partner, Shubman Gill, too, after being under the scanner for his knock in the fourth T20I on the Gold Coast, looked determined to play aggressively from the start and was striking at 181, being unbeaten on 29 before the disruption. India lead the series 2-1, and if it is a washout, the visitors will walk away with the series win, since the series opener in Canberra was washed out as well.
