The Indian opener Abhishek Sharma took a new record in T20 International cricket to a new level of six off the first ball he faced against New Zealand in the opening T20I on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
The left-handed batsman had achieved such a feat at Hagley Oval in Christchurch when India needed 226 runs. He was the seventh time Abhishek had hit a six off the first delivery he faced in a T20I innings and he is the record holder for the most sixes in the format.
According to Outlook India, Abhishek passed Afghanistan's Shafiqullah Shinwari, who had six times done it. India's Suryakumar Yadav is next on the list with five first-ball sixes.
Abhishek’s fearless approach puts bowlers under pressure.
Abhishek has a reputation for attacking bowlers from the beginning of his innings. He doesn’t take time to settle down and he tends to score boundaries early and put pressure on the opposition.
His latest six against New Zealand was a continuation of that. The Indian opener capitalised on the delivery from Matt Henry and sent the ball over the boundary, immediately adding excitement to India’s run chase.
The shot also highlighted why Abhishek is part of India’s very aggressive batting strategy in the shortest format. His ability to score quickly in the powerplay can give the team momentum during a chase.
Shafiqullah Shinwari's record surpassed.
Before this match, Afghanistan batter Shafiqullah Shinwari had already set the record with six occasions of hitting a six off the first ball faced in a T20I innings. Abhishek’s seventh score took him to seven and became the first man to do so, setting the absolute record.
Suryakumar Yadav, known for his innovative stroke play and attacking batting, has achieved the feat five times. Other players in the list are Ireland's Paul Stirling, New Zealand's Colin Munro and UAE's Mohammad Naveed.
The record is based on hitting a six off the first delivery a batter faces in an innings, not necessarily the first delivery of the match.
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India will have a tough chase against New Zealand.
New Zealand scored 225 runs for four wickets in their 20 overs and set India a target of 226. Glenn Phillips led the hosts with an unbeaten 82 off 40 balls and Finn Allen contributed 45 off 24 deliveries.
The home side accelerated in the middle and final overs to set a challenging target for India.
Abhishek’s record six made the Indian chase an explosive moment early in his innings. If India is to succeed in the chase, it will have to build partnerships, keep the score high and keep wickets down at key stages.
A new milestone for India's explosive opener.
Abhishek Sharma's seventh first-ball six is another achievement in his growing T20I record. His attacking mindset and ability to locate the boundary immediately make him a batter opposition teams must plan for carefully.
With the opening match against New Zealand bringing back a new record, Abhishek wants to make his aggressive starts into big scores and to help India to build momentum in the five-match series.
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