IND vs ZIM: "Just The Start, Many More To Come" - Yuvraj Singh Tells Abhishek Sharma After Maiden T20I Century

Add as a preferred source on Google

Former cricketer Yuvraj Singh expects more to come from India opener Abhishek Sharma after the youngster scored his maiden international century during the second T20I against Zimbabwe on Sunday (July 7) at the Harare Sports Club in Harare.

Just 24 hours after registering a duck on his international debut, Abhishek showed his ability with the bat as the 23-year-old bounced back in some style, scoring a 46-ball century, the third joint fastest by an Indian in T20I.

Abhishek went berserk right from the get-go, opening his account with a maximum over deep backward square leg and reached his first fifty also with a six. He accelerated to his century in just 13 balls, having scored his fifty in 33 balls.

His 46-ball century included 7 fours and a whopping 8 maximums. The southpaw had earned his call up to the Indian senior team on the back of a splendid IPL 2024 with Sunrisers Hyderabad, scoring 484 runs in 16 innings, striking at 204.22 with 42 sixes, the most for the season.

Before the IPL 2024 season, Abhishek had shown signs of his aggressive approach in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, a domestic T20 tournament, in which he had smashed 39 sixes and played a key role in Punjab's title win.

The player himself has revealed the training sessions with Yuvraj have played a major part in his success, and the youngster received a call from his mentor after the match to make the moment even more special.

In a video shared by BCCI, the former all-rounder Yuvraj, who is currently leading the Indian Champions side in World Championship of Legends, congratulated Abhishek for his maiden ton for the country in the shortest format of cricket and also added that it's just the start of many more to come.

"I'm very proud. Well done. You deserve it. Many more to come. This is just the start," Yuvraj told Abhishek on a video call. The former all-rounder who has worked with Abhishek believes many more hundreds will come from the southpaw's bat.

While talking about the special moment, Abhishek thanked Yuvraj for his guidance on and off the field to help him develop as a player and felt the former cricketer will be proud of him just like his family.

"That was, again, a very special moment. I talked to him yesterday. I don't know why, but he was very happy when I got out on zero. He was like, that's a good start. But I think he must be very proud today as well. Just like my family. So, I'm really happy," Abhishek said.

"It is all because of him as well. The hard work he has put on me. Two, three years he's been working really hard on me and everything. I wouldn't say just on my cricket, even off the field as well. So, it's a big moment."