Mumbai: Abhishek Sharma smashed records galore, posting the second-fasted fifty and hundred, while recording the highest score of 135 for India in T20I as they thrashed England by 150 runs in the fifth and final match to seal a 4-1 triumph in the five-match series at the Wankhede Stadium here.
India posted a massive score of 247/9 in 20 overs and then bundled out England for 97 in 10.3 overs to win the match by 150 runs with 57 balls, romping to their second-biggest victory by a run margin after the 168-run triumph against New Zealand at Ahmedabad two years back.
Hitting some sensational shots all around the ground, opener Abhishek Sharma blazed to the second-fastest century, only behind Rohit Sharma, by an Indian off 37 balls as his aggressive batting helped India post a massive 247/9 against England in the fifth and final T20I of the series at the Wankhede Stadium here.
Abhishek hammered the second-fastest fifty (17 balls) and second-fastest century (37 balls) during a majestic 135 off 54 balls, treating every England bowler with disdain; pulling, reversing and driving with aplomb as he struck seven boundaries and 13 scintillating sixes in one of the best knocks by an Indian batter in bilateral T20 cricket in recent times.
In reply, England fell to some brilliant bowling by Mohammed Shami, who came into the playing XI in place of Arshdeep Singh, and bagged 3-25 while the Indian slow-bowlers and the scoreboard pressure too contributed to their downfall as the visitors crashed to 97 all out in 10.3 overs, losing by 150 runs with 57 balls to spare.
Mohammed Shami started England's downfall by getting Duckett to drive to Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi packed off Buttler and Brook as England slumped to 59/3. Abhishek Sharma (2-3 in one over) and Shivam Dube (2-11), whose substitution for concussion in the previous match had triggered a controversy, claimed a couple of wickets each and England's troubles mounted. It was an embarrassing collapse as none of the England batters barring Salt could do anything.
It was an abject surrender by the England batters as only Salt and Jacob Bathell (10) reached double figures as the visitors slumped to an embarrassing defeat with 57 balls to spare. Shami completed their misery with the final two wickets off successive balls in the 11th over.
