Abhishek Sharma becomes first Indian opener to score 1,000 T20I runs in a year
Abhishek Sharma reached 1,000 T20I runs for 2026 and 100 powerplay sixes in the format during India's four-wicket win over New Zealand.
Abhishek Sharma became the first Indian opener to score 1,000 T20I runs in a calendar year during the second match against New Zealand in Christchurch. He reached the milestone with 27 runs in India's chase of 181, taking his 2026 tally to 1,012 runs from 36 innings at an average of 28.91 and a strike rate of 199.60.
Abhishek also became the first batter to hit 100 powerplay sixes in T20Is during the same innings. He is the third Indian after Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan to cross 1,000 T20I runs in a single year. Ishan Kishan leads the list with 1,159 runs from 35 matches.
India won the match by four wickets to take a 2-0 series lead. The third T20I is scheduled for Wellington on Tuesday.
CricHubb Take
Abhishek's powerplay sixes landmark shows that India's top-order aggression has shifted from strike-rate accumulation to boundary volume, a change that alters how opposition captains set fields in the first six overs.