India opener Abhishek Sharma delivered a stunning performance in the fourth T20I against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg. The left-hander hit a mammoth six off South Africa pacer Andile Simelane, sending the ball out of the stadium and onto the roof, where it bounced out of sight.
The remarkable shot occurred on the first ball of the fifth over. Abhishek charged down the pitch to counter the right-arm pacer, who aimed to cramp him for room. However, Abhishek sliced the delivery perfectly over the extra cover boundary with sheer power and precision. The massive hit also brought up India’s fifty in just 4.1 overs, setting the tone for a blistering start.
A Fiery Knock After a Nervous Start
Despite a shaky start to his innings, where he scored just 2 runs off the first 7 balls, Abhishek found his rhythm with a stunning pickup shot off Marco Jansen for six in the third over. From there, he quickly shifted gears. Reeza Hendricks had given him a lifeline in the opening over by dropping a sharp chance in the slip cordon, and Abhishek made full use of it.
The left-handed batter tore into Andile Simelane, smashing three sixes and a four in the bowler’s first over. He carried his momentum into the next over, hitting a boundary off Lutho Sipamla before being dismissed for an entertaining 18-ball 36, caught behind by wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen.
This explosive cameo followed Abhishek’s half-century in the previous T20I, showcasing his consistency at the top of the order in the series decider.
India’s Strong Start After Winning the Toss
Earlier, India captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss for the first time in the series and opted to bat. Both teams fielded unchanged playing XIs from the previous match.
India XI: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ramandeep Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakravarthy.
South Africa XI: Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Marco Jansen, Andile Simelane, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Lutho Sipamla.
Abhishek’s spectacular knock, including the unforgettable six out of the stadium, played a vital role in propelling India to a strong position early in the match, further solidifying his reputation as a power-hitter in T20 cricket.
