India opener Abhishek Sharma didn't hold back and blasted the Pakistan bowlers off the field as well after the Asia Cup Super Four encounter in Dubai on Sunday evening. Abhishek went all guns blazing after the opposition, smashing 74 runs off 39 balls in the 172-run chase, featuring six 4s and five 6s.
Abhishek made his intentions known early in the chase as he sent a short delivery by Shaheen Shah Afridi over the fine leg fence and then there was no one stopping him. The chase was put in motion as Shaheen opened with a bouncer and the daring opener refused to back down from the challenge, pulling him for a six. He treated Pakistan bowlers Abrar Ahmed and Haris Rauf in similar fashion.
After the match, Abhishek joined the broadcasters for a chat alongside the legendary Virender Sehwag. The hosts were quick to draw parallels between Abhishek’s first-ball six and Sehwag’s trademark first-ball boundaries from his playing days.
Abhishek, however, commended Sehwag and brushed off the similarities, pointing out that modern bowlers are not as good as the ones the renowned opener used to face. In fact, it was a jab at the Pakistani bowlers that Abhishek had tense confrontations with.
"Jo Viru paaji ne bowlers ko maare hue hai, vo bowlers mujhe nahi laggta ab vo hai koi (The bowlers that Viru paaji has hit, I don’t think there’s anyone like those bowlers)," Abhishek said on Sony Sports.
The youthful opener's compliments delighted Sehwag, but he also had some words of advise for the southpaw. Sehwag emphasised the value of seizing innings of 70 or 80 to create a legacy of hundreds by drawing on his personal experience.
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"Whenever you reach 70, don't miss out on 100 because Sunil Gavaskar said to me – when you retire, you'll remember the innings where you got out on 70 or 80. If you convert those, maybe your career will have more hundreds because these opportunities don't come again and again. When you're batting well, on your day, try to go not out – it's better," Sehwag said.
With 173 runs in four games at a remarkable average of 43.25, Abhishek is presently leading the batting charts in the ongoing Asia Cup. His outstanding strike-rate of 208.43, highlights his capacity to score runs fast and set terms against opposing bowlers.
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