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Yuvraj Singh took to X on October 27 to cheekily call out his protege Abhishek Sharma after the young left-hander blazed 113 off 38 balls in the 3rd T20I against New Zealand at Wellington. Sharma reached his half-century off 15 balls in that knock, falling three deliveries short of Yuvraj's standing record for the fastest T20I fifty.
The two share a close personal and training bond. Yuvraj took Abhishek under his wing from the early stages of the opener's career and has played a significant role in shaping him as a professional cricketer. When Sharma missed the 12-ball benchmark once again, Yuvraj wasted no time in pulling his leg on social media.
"You still can't get 50 of 12 can you. @OfficialAbhi04! Looks like two left handers batting in their backyard!" Yuvraj wrote.
Fans thoroughly loved the post, hailing both Indian cricketers for their contributions to the team across different eras.
Yuvraj's reaction to Sharma's Wellington knock
Yuvraj's 12-ball fifty remains the fastest half-century in T20I history. It came in the famous match where he smashed six sixes in a single over off Stuart Broad, during the 2007 ICC T20 World Cup against England.
Wellington was Sharma's second near-miss on that record in 2026. In January 2026, he had struck a half-century off 14 balls against New Zealand in Guwahati, only to fall short of the 12-ball mark on that occasion as well. On Tuesday in Wellington, he completed his fifty off 15 balls, missing out once more.
Abhishek Sharma's innings and India's series win
As Sharma went on to complete his century, Yuvraj posted a second message on X, where he lauded the youngster's contribution to India's triumph in the third T20I.
"And I can't make 100 of 30 or 34 balls. Well played sir," the newly-appointed Delhi Capitals mentor wrote.
The hundred came off 35 balls and was Sharma's fourth T20I century. He was eventually dismissed by Kyle Jamieson for 113, having struck 11 sixes and 9 fours.
The Wellington innings produced several team records alongside Sharma's individual effort. India reached 100 runs in 5 overs, setting a new record for the fastest team hundred in men's T20 internationals, surpassing the previous mark held by Romania against Serbia. The powerplay total of 118 for no wicket in 6 overs also set a new T20I record. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi contributed 45 off 19 balls as Sharma's opening partner. India chased down New Zealand's 199-run target, winning by 6 wickets to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the T20I series.
Also Read: Abhishek Sharma helps India record second-fastest team hundred in T20Is
Having made his international debut for India in 2024, Sharma went on to break and create a host of records, establishing himself as a mainstay in the India T20I side across the years that have followed. However, one T20I record he has not yet managed to surpass is Yuvraj Singh's fastest half-century, but the way in which the Sunrisers Hyderabad batter is playing, it could come anytime in the near future.
