ICC T20 WC 2026: Abhishek Sharma Outsmarts New Zealand In Powerplay.

Abhishek Sharma saved his best performance for the last and his most impactful as well as he outsmarted New Zealand in the powerplay. It wasn’t the most always clean innings but boy it was devastatingly effective. Abhishek Sharma had a stop-start tournament with three ducks along the way, but his best came under the Ahmedabad skies when he smashed an 18-ball half century against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup final.

His assault powered India to 92/0 in the powerplay, with Sanju Samson contributing 33 in the first six overs as India built a platform they ride to a match-winning total of 255/5.

Faf du Plessis and Anil Kumble praises Abhishek Sharma. 

Speaking on ESPN Cricinfo’s TimeOut show, Faf du Plessis and Anil Kumble dissected Abhishek Sharma’s innings and the tactical adjustments behind it.

Faf du Plessis said: “He is like all good players. When he was up against South Africa, they bowled all the slower balls to him, took the pace off, went really wide. He’s now seen what teams do- they have the two fielders on the off-side, whether it’s two there or a point or a cover. Tonight, he knew what the plan was going to be and he just moved across and had the closest thing to hit the ball to the left side.” 

Faf du Plessis added: “So that shows you something he’s worked on; it’s tactically, how do I counter it when they go wide and slow to me? ” 

Anil Kumble agreed that the counter was deliberate. Abhishek played the second over, from off-spinner Glenn Phillips cautiously, but took off when the seamers came back. He said: “That’s his game plan- he likes pace. And as Faf mentioned, New Zealand had very clear plan: bowl slower and wider with that extra cover there. Abhishek moved away from the line to counter that and looked to play straight, which is something he does well. And he looked to hit straight and then whenever it was a bit short, he took them on. So, yes, really good innings. He survived that one over of off-spin from Phillips, which, again, he defended.” 

Kumble further added: “He was literally playing with a dead straight bat. So, it was not like he was looking to play across, although there was not much spin. He looked to play straight and once he got through that six or seven balls in the first two overs, then he was on a roll.” 

Abhishek had struggled against off-spin in the tournament averaging 9.67 with a strike rate of 107.41, which made Phillips’ second over an interesting early match-up. New Zealand conceded just 12 runs from the first two overs, bowled by Matt Henry and Phillips, but then moved away and leaked in the next four overs.

Anil Kumble and Faf du Plessis on tactics used by New Zealand against Abhishek Sharma. 

Anil Kumble felt New Zealand who had dropped off-spinner Cole McConchie for a seamer in Jacob Duffy- should have used another over of Phillips instead of going for four different bowlers in the powerplay.

Kumble said: “He should have followed up because even Matt Henry bowled a good first over. He got hit for a six, but then Glenn Phillips followed it up with a nice over. And then suddenly, Mitchell Santner though he needs to get Duffy in, Lockie Ferguson in. So, there were four bowlers in that that powerplay, which was, I thought, a bit slightly, a bit of overthinking there.” 

Kumble added: You expect the off-spinner to bowl at Abhishek Sharma. Fourth over, when the bowler Ferguson had to start, Abhishek Sharma was on strike. So, he could have again bowled Glenn Phillips. 

Faf du Plessis understood Santner’s thinking but feels the uncertainty around a part-time option might have played a role. Faf said: “What Mitch Santner is thinking there is, there is the off-spin match-up, so we have to try it. But it’s a part-time off-spinner. so I’m not sure what he’s going to do with his second over when both batters are set. Which brings me back to the conversation, McConchie being a weapon against the left-handers in the powerplay. Proven and tested against South Africa, two massive wickets, and he also stopped the powerplay.

Faf du Plessis continued: “Now Abhishek has faced two or three balls against the off-spinner. And then it seamed for both ends, which is exactly, if you ask him what he wants, he got that today.” 

It remains to be seen how Abhishek carries on from here and deliver his form in subsequent matches looking ahead for India.

Also Read: ICC T20 WC 2026: India Clinches 3rd World Cup Title By Thrashing New Zealand.