World No. 1 T20I batter Abhishek Sharma entered his name in the record books on Wednesday (January 21) by becoming the fastest batter in the world (in terms of balls taken) to score 5000 runs in T20s.
The 25-year-old left-handed batter from Amritsar opened the innings for the Suryakumar Yadav-led side in the first T20I against New Zealand, which is taking place at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur, and scored 84 runs from just 35 balls. During his stay at the crease, he slammed 5 fours and 8 sixes and also completed 5000 runs in the 20-over format of the game.
Abhishek needed 82 runs in the first India-New Zealand T20I to complete 5000 runs in T20s, and he achieved the objective in just 33 balls.
Before Abhishek, the record of being the fastest batter in the world to score 5000 runs in T20s was in the name of Andre Russell. The legendary West Indies all-rounder needed 2942 balls to reach the 5000-run mark in T20s.
Fewest balls to 5000 runs in men’s T20s
- 2898 – Abhishek Sharma (India)
- 2942 – Andre Russell (West Indies)
- 3127 – Tim David (Australia/Singapore)
- 3196 – Will Jacks (England)
- 3239 – Glenn Maxwell (Australia
Abhishek was unlucky to miss out on a deserving century for India in the first T20I of the ongoing five-match series, but his 84-run knock helped him move to the No. 3 position in the list of Indian batters with the highest individual score in T20Is against the Black Caps.
Highest individual scores for India in T20Is against New Zealand
| PLAYER | RUNS | BALLS | 4/6s | VENUE | DATE |
| Suryakumar Yadav | 111* | 51 | 11/7 | Mount Maunganui | November 20, 2022 |
| Shubman Gill | 126* | 63 | 12/7 | Ahmedabad | February 1, 2023 |
| Abhishek Sharma | 84 | 35 | 5/8 | Nagpur | January 21, 2026 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 80 | 52 | 10/2 | Delhi | November 1, 2017 |
| Rohit Sharma | 80 | 55 | 6/4 | Delhi | November 1, 2017 |
The eight sixes by Abhishek in Nagpur also helped him break the record of most sixes in a T20I match by an Indian batter against the Black Caps.
Most sixes in a T20I match for India vs New Zealand
| PLAYER | RUNS | BALLS | 6s | VENUE | DATE |
| Abhishek Sharma | 84 | 35 | 8 | Nagpur | January 21, 2026 |
| Suryakumar Yadav | 111* | 51 | 7 | Mount Maunganui | November 20, 2022 |
| Shubman Gill | 126* | 63 | 7 | Ahmedabad | February 1, 2023 |
| Suresh Raina | 61 | 43 | 5 | Christchurch | February 25, 2009 |
| Rohit Sharma | 55 | 36 | 5 | Ranchi | November 19, 2021 |
Abhishek added 99 runs for the third wicket with Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav (32 runs) on Wednesday. He was sent back to the pavilion by Ish Sodhi on the last ball of the 12th over of India’s innings.
