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Abhishek Sharma nears fastest 1000 T20I runs as India face Australia at Bellerive Oval; Josh Hazlewood misses third game.
India’s star T20I batter Abhishek Sharma (AP)
Star batter Abhishek Sharma is just 64 runs away from becoming the fastest Indian to go past the 1000 T20I-run milestone, with the Indian team all set to take on Australia in the third game of the five-match series at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Sunday, November 1.
With Australia leading 1-0, India will look to level the five-match series. Abhishek, who smashed a blistering 68 off 37 deliveries despite wickets tumbling around him, will be eyeing another big innings to extend his red-hot form this year.
In 26 games and 25 innings, Abhishek has amassed 936 runs at an average of 37.44 and a strike rate of 193.38, featuring two hundreds and six half-centuries, including a career-best 135 off 54 deliveries against England in Mumbai.
If Abhishek scores 64 runs in his 27th game and 26th innings on Sunday, November 2, he will go past Virat Kohli as the fastest Indian to reach 1,000 T20I runs. The latter had achieved the milestone in his 29th game and 27th innings against South Africa at home in 2010.
India Eye Batting Revival As Josh Hazlewood Misses 3rd T20I
The absence of Josh Hazlewood will offer some relief to Indian batters as they aim for a stronger showing, but the continued exclusion of left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh remains puzzling ahead of the third T20I against Australia on Sunday, November 2.
Hazlewood’s trademark precision with length and the unsettling bounce he extracts around the corridor of uncertainty had proven to be a real nightmare for the Indian batters.
With the Ashes all set to start later this month, Hazlewood has been rested to recharge ahead of the demanding five-Test series and will miss the remainder of the T20I contest.
Hazlewood’s absence means India’s batters, often found wanting against bounce and seam movement, will feel a touch more comfortable facing Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis and Sean Abbott.
Both captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill have struggled against extra bounce and lateral movement, but they will look to rediscover the fluency they showed in the opening game at Canberra.
November 01, 2025, 23:26 IST
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