After playing an unbelievable knock of 135 runs in 68 balls, Abhishek Sharma said during the presentation, “In the next match, please keep one camera focused on my father, who sits right next to the side screen. Since my Under-12 days, he has always been sitting there. Whenever my eyes go toward him from the ground, he’s just watching me—and coaching me from there.”

And why wouldn’t he? Abhishek’s father himself is a former Ranji player. Abhishek started playing at his academy. His father prepared him for this level.

But when Abhishek said this, it reminded me of the World Cup final night. During an interview on the ground, his father had said, “At least arrange tickets for the next series—I wasn’t even being allowed to come!” Then Abhishek’s mother shared that during his early struggles, when he wasn’t scoring runs, his father wanted to talk to him. But Abhishek felt bad and didn’t want to talk, because he was already under a lot of pressure.

Then came that match against DC—and what Abhishek did there—and his father’s reaction afterward. His father lived the dream of becoming a cricketer through his son. And his son became so capable that, in that match against DC, he even broke the record of Universe Boss Chris Gayle.

Abhishek played a शानदार (brilliant) innings—135 runs not out in just 68 balls at a strike rate of 198. He hit 10 fours and 10 sixes. With this innings, Abhishek Sharma has now become the batsman with the most 130+ scores in T20 cricket. He has achieved this feat four times, surpassing Chris Gayle and Aaron Finch, who have done it three times each.

And yes, to all the haters who doubted Abhishek’s ability after the T20 World Cup—this is a solid slap in their faces.