It wasn’t an imitation of Haaland; This is the reason behind Abhishek’s ‘meditation’ celebration

NEW DELHI: Indian opener Abhishek Sharma’s ‘meditation’ celebration after scoring a record century in the third T20I against Afghanistan garnered considerable attention. Fans initially believed that Abhishek’s celebration was inspired by Manchester City star Erling Haaland’s famous celebration. However, Abhishek has now clarified that he was not imitating Haaland.

Abhishek on Thursday achieved the record for the second-fastest century in T20 cricket, reaching the milestone in just 30 balls. He also broke Rohit Sharma’s record for the fastest century by an Indian player in an international match. Rohit had scored a century off 35 balls against Sri Lanka in 2017. Abhishek’s century included 10 sixes and nine fours.

Immediately after his century, Abhishek sat on the field with his eyes closed, appearing to meditate. The sight reminded many on social media of Haaland’s famous goal celebration. However, Abhishek clarified that this was not the reason behind his celebration. He said that he had been practising meditation and ‘manifestation’ for the past six months to a year.

Abhishek said that cricket comes with its share of highs and lows, and that meditation has helped him maintain mental stability amid the pressures of the game. He added that the celebration was inspired by his desire to share with others the benefits that meditation has brought him.