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Australia’s Skipper Jokes Before India Star’s 135-Run Masterclass

Prickly Jos takes jab at match referee | 01:06

India’s Abhishek Sharma hit a brutal 135 to set up a crushing 150-run win over England in the fifth T20 international and seal the series 4-1 on Sunday.

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Opener Abhishek’s incredible 54-ball knock, laced with 13 sixes, fired India, who clinched the series in the fourth T20, to 247-9 after being invited to bat first at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

The tourists were never in the chase despite Phil Salt’s 23-ball 55 as India bowled out the tourists for 97 for their second biggest T20 victory by runs.

Abhishek also two wickets in the only over he bowled with left-arm spin.

“It’s a special one, coming for the country, always a great feeling,” said the 24-year-old Abhishek.

“When I see it’s my day, I always try to go from the first ball. And the way the coach and the captain have treated me from the first day. They’ve always wanted this intent, they’ve always backed me.”

India’s Abhishek Sharma plays a shot during the fifth and final Twenty20 international cricket match between India and England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 2, 2025. (Photo by Punit PARANJPE / AFP) / – IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE –Source: AFP

England slipped to 68-4 as Jos Buttler (7), Harry Brook (2) and Liam Livingstone (9) all failed to make an impact.

Shivam Dube, a batting all-rounder who bowls medium pace, removed Salt with the first ball he bowled after he was controversially replaced by fast bowler Harshit Rana as a concussion substitute in the previous match.

Asked pre-game by broadcaster Ravi Shastri what he thought of the pitch and his decision to bowl first, Buttler said: “It’s usually a pretty good wicket here, so we’re going to chase. We’ve got one change to the XI: Mark Wood comes in and our four impact subs today are Rehan Ahmed, Saquib Mahmood, Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson.”

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The rest of the England batting fell quickly with Jacob Bethell, who made 10, the only batter to reach double figures other than Salt.

Wrist spinner Varun Chakravarthy and Dube also took two each. Chakravarthy was named player of the series for his 14 wickets in the five matches.

Pace bowler Mohammed Shami finished with three wickets as he wrapped up the England innings in 10.3 overs.

Abhishek dominated a partnership of 115 for the second wicket with Tilak Varma following England’s decision to bowl first.

He raced to his fifty in 17 balls with a six and then reached his second T20 century for India in 37 deliveries. Dube was the next highest scorer with 30.

Speedster Mark Wood dismissed Hardik Pandya for nine after earlier removing opener Sanju Samson.

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid had Abhishek caught out in the 18th over as India lost four wickets in the final five overs.

“I’ve seen a lot of cricket, and I thought Abhishek’s innings today was one of the best,” said England captain Buttler.

Fast bowler Brydon Carse took three wickets including Suryakumar for two, with the Indian captain’s batting woes showing no signs of ending – 28 runs in five matches.

Australia's Skipper Jokes Before India Star's 135-Run MasterclassEngland’s Brydon Carse celebrates after taking the wicket of India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav during the fifth and final Twenty20 international cricket match between India and England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 2, 2025. (Photo by Punit PARANJPE / AFP)Source: AFP

“Some of the guys’ bowling performances – even today, Brydon Carse and Mark Wood were outstanding,” Buttler said of his team’s positives.

India won the opening two matches before England came back to keep the series alive in the third game.

India took an unassailable 3-1 lead in the fourth T20 after Rana’s inclusion in place of Dube – not a like-for-like replacement – angered England.

The two teams now head into three one-day internationals starting February 6 in Nagpur.

The series is a warm-up for the 50-over Champions Trophy starting February 19 in Pakistan and Dubai

Australia's Skipper Jokes Before India Star's 135-Run Masterclass

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What is the CDP ?

The CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY (CDP) is Australia’s only registered national Christian political party. Although it is registered as a political party, it operates on non-party political lines. The CDP was founded by a group of caring Australian ministers with high ethical values based on the Christian values and ethics. The aim of its members is to promote the common good by endorsing responsible, long-term goals, and not short-term gain.

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