'Apne single bhi le liye': Yuvraj makes cheeky Abhishek admission

Abhishek Sharma and Yuvraj Singh (Instagram and PTI)

Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh was left in awe of Abhishek Sharma's explosive century against New Zealand, joking that even he could not score a hundred in 30 or 34 balls, as the young opener powered India to a six-wicket victory in the third T20I on Tuesday.Abhishek smashed 113 off just 38 deliveries, reaching his century in 35 balls as India chased down New Zealand's target with 40 balls to spare. The emphatic win gave India an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.

Yuvraj, who has played a key role in Abhishek's development, took to X to congratulate the left-hander while also praising young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson and India's bowlers for their contributions to the dominant victory."And I can’t make 100 of 30 or 34 balls 😜 Well played sir @OfficialAbhi04! Great innings aur apne single bhi le liye 🤷🏻‍♂️ Good stuff on the other end by #VaibhavSooryavanshi! Devastating combination! Hats off to @IamSanjuSamson, playing at no. 3 as a complete team man! Well-bowled by our bowlers to keep the score under 200! Great series win 👌 congratulations Team India 🇮🇳," Yuvraj wrote on X.

'I can't make 100 off 30 or 34 balls': Yuvraj's special praise for Abhishek

Abhishek's breathtaking innings featured nine fours and 11 sixes, leaving the New Zealand bowlers with few answers to India's aggressive approach.

He brought up his century in just 35 balls before eventually falling to Kyle Jamieson, with Glenn Phillips completing the catch at deep mid-wicket.The knock was another milestone in Abhishek's rapidly growing T20 career. He moved past Virat Kohli to become India's leading centurion in men's T20 cricket, taking his tally to 11 hundreds.Yuvraj's playful remark reflected the sheer pace of Abhishek's innings, with the former India star acknowledging the extraordinary scoring rate of his protégé. The reference to singles was a light-hearted nod to Abhishek's ability to combine his trademark power-hitting with the occasional rotation of strike.

India seal series with two matches remaining

India's six-wicket win secured a 3-0 lead in the five-match series, leaving New Zealand with two games to salvage some pride.