Youngster Abhishek Sharma credited his father’s guidance for his fearless approach to big-hitting in the shortest format. In only his second T20I match, Sharma smashed a 47-ball century, helping India defeat Zimbabwe in the second game of their five-match series in Harare on July 07. Sharma spoke about how he had focused on the mental aspect of going for big shots from the start.

Sharma’s T20I debut on Saturday in Harare ended in disappointment as he was dismissed for a duck while attempting a big shot. With the next game scheduled the very next day, the 23-year-old batter had little time to dwell on his performance. However, he came out swinging in the second T20I, setting an aggressive tone from the start. Though India lost captain Shubman Gill cheaply, Abhishek got off the mark in international cricket with a six against bowler Brian Bennett.

The southpaw reached his half-century with a six in the 11th over, unleashing a brutal assault on Dion Myers and scoring 28 runs in the process. He then accelerated from 82 to 100 with a hat-trick of sixes off Wellington Masakadza, bringing up his century in style. Sharma’s whirlwind innings, which included eight sixes and seven boundaries, propelled India to a formidable total of 234/2 in 20 overs.

“Sixer King? To be honest, I don’t feel that way. I believe it is the fruit of all my hard work,” stated Sharma to the press.

“Growing up, my dad always encouraged me to play lofted shots, even when most coaches advised against it. He would tell me, “If you’re going to play a lofted shot, make sure it goes up and out of the ground.” This mentality stuck with me from a young age – if I’m confident in my abilities, I like to express myself freely on the field. I’m grateful to my dad for instilling that mindset in me,” he added.

“The IPL has helped to ease the pressure of representing the country, especially for young debutants. Playing for one’s nation is always incredibly motivating. While the first game didn’t go as planned, my mindset and intent remained the same. In T20 cricket, it’s all about approach and intent. If I’m able to execute my intent on a given day, the results usually follow,” he continued.