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Friday May 10, 2024

Sharma´s record ton powers India to 195-2 in 2nd T20

Sharma made an unbeaten 111 off 61 deliveries to give India an imposing total after the hosts were put into bat first in the second match at Lucknow´s newly built stadium

By AFP
November 06, 2018

LUCKNOW, India: Skipper Rohit Sharma smashed his fourth Twenty20 international century -- the most by any batsman in the format -- to propel India to 192 for two against West Indies on Tuesday.

Sharma made an unbeaten 111 off 61 deliveries to give India an imposing total after the hosts were put into bat first in the second match at Lucknow´s newly built stadium.

India lead the three-match series 1-0.

The big-hitting Sharma put on 123 runs with opening partner Shikhar Dhawan, who made 43, to pummel the West Indian bowling after paceman Oshane Thomas started with a maiden over.

Sharma, who now has 2,203 runs in 86 matches, became India´s highest run-scorer in T20s after surpassing regular captain Virat Kohli (2,102 runs) during his red-hot knock.

He is now the second highest scorer in the world behind New Zealand´s Martin Guptill, on 2,271 runs.

The right-left combination of Sharma and Dhawan, who surpassed 1,000 T20 runs during his 41-ball knock, smashed the balls to all parts of the huge ground before the first wicket fell in the 14th over.

Dhawan, who survived a dropped catch on 28, finally fell to spinner Fabien Allen as Nicholas Pooran took a diving catch at long leg.

Sharma then launched an attack as he hit eight fours and seven sixes during his entertaining blitz in front of a raucous home crowd.

Lokesh Rahul, unbeaten on 26, had the best view when Sharma reached his century in the last over of the innings with a boundary off his opposite number in Carlos Brathwaite.