Tue Feb 04 19:42:00 IST 2025: ## England Captain Hails Abhishek Sharma’s “Clean Ball Striking” After Record-Breaking Innings

**Mumbai, India** – England captain Jos Buttler heaped praise on Indian opener Abhishek Sharma following his stunning 135-run innings off just 54 balls in India’s 150-run victory in the fifth T20I at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. Buttler described Sharma’s performance as “as clean a ball striking as I’ve seen,” highlighting the destructive power of the young batsman.

Sharma’s innings included a record-breaking 13 sixes, surpassing the previous best of 10 held by several Indian players, including Rohit Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Tilak Varma. He also achieved India’s second-fastest T20I fifty (17 balls) and hundred (37 balls), overwhelming the English bowling attack.

While acknowledging England’s defeat, Buttler refused to characterize his team as “shellshocked” by Sharma’s onslaught, stating that the Indian opener simply played exceptionally well. He did admit that the team had considered how they could have countered Sharma’s aggressive batting, but ultimately credited his outstanding performance. Buttler also noted the similarities between Sharma’s current form and his IPL performances alongside Travis Head for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Despite the early setback, Buttler praised his team’s resilience in limiting India to 240 runs after Sharma’s explosive start.

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