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Star India batter Abhishek Sharma is on the verge of breaking compatriot Rohit Sharma and Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan’s record of becoming the batter with the most consecutive 30-plus scores in men’s T20Is. Abhishek, Rohit and Rizwan are all tied on seven. Riding on Abhishek‘s third fifty of the event, India scored 202/5 in 20 overs, but Pathum Nissanka packed so much punch in his strokes that it left the defending champions on the brink of a loss. Abhishek has scored at least 30 in each of his last seven innings since February, equaling the joint world record held by India’s Rohit and Pakistan’s Rizwan. Most successive 30-plus scores in men’s T20Is Rohit Sharma: 7 Mohammad Rizwan: 7 Abhishek Sharma: 7 Sikandar Raza: 6 Mohammad Hafeez: 6 Abhishek’s streak began with his highest T20I score of 135 against England. In the Asia Cup, he has followed it up with six successive innings, three scores in the 30s, then three consecutive half-centuries. In fact, Abhishek missed the world record before his 135, having scored 29 against the same opposition. Now, in the Asia Cup final, he has another opportunity; reaching 50 would bring him closer to equalling or even going past Raza’s record of five successive half-centuries. Abhishek has amassed 444 runs over this seven-innings span, setting a Full Member record in men’s T20Is and sitting just six short of the all-time mark of 450 by Switzerland’s Faheem Nazir. Abhishek has done this at a phenomenal strike rate of 216.59, joining Aaron Finch (214.51) as the only other cricketer to strike at over 200 while scoring 400+ runs in seven innings. India cruise to a Super Over win Earlier, star India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson gained much-needed confidence with a useful 39 after Abhishek’s familiar early assault. This was the highest score by any side in the current tournament, going past India’s 188 against Oman and Afghanistan’s same total versus Hong Kong. While Abhishek blasted his way to a 31-ball-61, Samson was in his element at No. 5, playing some breathtaking sixes in his 22-ball knock.
