Abhishek Sharma smashed his 69th six of 2026 in Hyderabad, eclipsing former skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s 68‑six mark set in 2022. The opener’s thunderclap came in the ninth over after 15 balls to clear the boundary, turning the game’s rhythm in India’s favour.
The match itself was a roller‑coaster: Shai Hope’s unbeaten 102 off 50 for the West Indies, a century that ended with a six, kept the pressure high. Yet after a shaky powerplay where Mayank Yadav and Arshdeep Singh gave away 52 runs each, Sharma found his groove against Shamar Springer, powering the ball down the track for the record‑third six.
Abhishek’s 2026 began with 84 off 35 against New Zealand, eight sixes, but a string of lows—including five ducks in his first eight innings—had dampened his form. That streak was broken by the Hyderabad showdown, where he racked up a solid 69th six to finish the year’s tally.
West Indies’ 16 sixes and 18 extras (plus a 43‑ball partnership between Hope and Rutherford) showcased their bat‑heavy attack, yet India’s bowlers struggled to maintain control, a factor that Sharma’s power is now aiming to offset.
With the record in hand, Sharma’s confidence is soaring, but India must tighten their bowling to keep the West Indies from matching the aggressive run‑rate. The next T20I in the series will test whether the team can translate this batting heroics into a win.
India’s next challenge: a tight T20I clash against the West Indies at the same venue, where Sharma’s newfound swagger will be on full display.