Indian opener Abhishek Sharma has retained his top spot in the latest ICC T20I rankings for batters. He provided India with quickfire starts in two matches played in the Asia Cup, including the one against Pakistan, when Abhishek Sharma smashed 31 runs off just 13 balls. Abhishek Sharma is boasting of 884 ratings, his career best and is 46 points behind the second-placed Phil Salt who has also climbed in the rankings following his sensational knock against South Africa recently.
For a batter set to make his maiden appearance in a multi-team international competition, the No.1 rank is certainly a big boost. Top-ranked among batters in T20Is, young Abhishek Sharma should be in a strong mindset as he goes into the upcoming Asia Cup, which will also mark his first tournament for India featuring several other countries.
Abhishek Sharma’s stellar performances in Asia Cup 2025
After a consistent showing for Sunrisers Hyderabad, especially in the last two editions of the IPL, Abhishek Sharma backed it up with performances for India that were not just explosive, but more importantly, impact-making. He has proved so in India’s last two T20I series against South Africa (away) and England (home).
Struggling initially against the Proteas in their conditions, the 24-year-old showed he’s a quick learner with scores of 50 and 36 at a strike rate of 200 in the last two games. Thereafter, against the Englishmen, the left-hander was at his destructive best, with his 79 off 34 balls at Eden Gardens and the masterful 135 off just 54 balls at the Wankhede underlining it.
In this Asia Cup, the UAE conditions may pose a challenge or two at times for batsmen, especially against quality spinners and those tweakers who don’t usually err much in terms of line and length. From that perspective, there could be a little bit of pressure on Abhishek Sharma, as India too will be expecting him to make full use of the Powerplay.
However, batswing is one aspect that could come to the Punjab batsman’s rescue. And having worked with India’s World Cup winner and former limited-overs specialist Yuvraj Singh, that batswing has simply improved further.
India started off their Asia Cup 2025 campaign with a big win in their opening game against hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) y 9 wickets and a massive 93 balls to spare. In fact, they chased their target down in just 4.3 overs, after bowling UAE out for 57, which is the lowest total in history against India in the shortest format of the game.
Abhishek Sharma layed a short but blazing knock in the second innings, as India reached the arget in no time. During this innings, the left-handed opening batter Abhishek Sharma managed to achieve a feat that no Indian including the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli did not achieve.
Abhishek Sharma hit the first ball of the second innings for a six to start off the innings with a bang. Abhishek Sharma thus became the first Indian to hit a six off the first ball of the second innings in a T20I match. Overall, Abhishek Sharma became the fourth Indian to hit the first ball of a T20I innings for a six, after Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson.
Abhishek Sharma slammed 30 from 16 balls in an innings studded by two fours and three sixes. He was ultimately dismissed by Junaid Siddique.India won the toss and opted to bowl first against UAE. The hosts got off to a decent start putting up 26 for the first wicket. However, the Indian bowlers unleashed hell on to them after that.
The team was dismissed for just 57 runs, with Kuldeep Yadav being the wrecker-in-chief with figures of 4/7. Shivam Dube also chipped in with three wickets. India pulled off this run-chase with ease courtesy openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill. They thus won with 93 balls to spare, the second-biggest win in the history of T20I cricket.
Abhishek Sharma created history for India during their 2025 Asia Cup clash against Pakistan on Sunday (September 14) as he played a key role in helping the Suryakumar Yadav-led side register a thumping seven-wicket victory at the Dubai International Stadium.
Chasing 128 on a tricky surface, Abhishek Sharma put the Men in Blue in cruise control with a quick-fire start. The 25-year-old made just 31 runs in 13 balls in a knock that included four boundaries and two sixes. Infact, the left-handed hit a boundary and six of the first two balls of the innings on Shaheen Afridi’s bowling.
Abhishek Sharma’s tally of 31 runs is the most by an Indian player in the powerplay of a T20I innings against Pakistan. He is also the first Indian batter to score over 30 runs in the first six overs of an innings against the Men in Green. The record previously belonged to Virat Kohli, which he set at the same venue in 2022. Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeaj while lauding young opener Abhishek Sharma after his explosive knocks credits Rohit Sharma for his dynamic influence on the younsters to play bold and fearlessly.
Ajay Jadeja credits Rohit Sharma for influencing players like Abhishek Sharma to be fearless in Asia Cup 2025
Former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja said Abhishek Sharma’s fearless game comes from the team culture Rohit Sharma created, where even quick 30s are valued instead of criticized.The 54-year-old said that the present ODI captain has originatedthe idea of takingon the bowling, which has seepedinto the other batters in India’s current playing XI. The 38-year-old Rohit Sharma retired from T20Is in June 2024 after leading India to their 2nd T20I World Cup Trophy in West Indies and USA. Ajay Jadeja said on SonySports :
“He (Abhishek Sharma) is a dominating player. What I will add is that the entire team have played a role in his success because to accept that we will play in this manner, Rohit Sharma originated this. He isn’t here, but he has put this habit.”
“Otherwise, the way he got out, two years ago, six years ago, or even 10 years ago, he may have been questioned for scoring 30 runs and getting out. The point is that only if he looks to hit can he get out. The confidence that he is getting, the team appreciating him for his style of play and the eighth batter in the team is allowing him to bat in this manner”.
With 2 wins in 2 matches , India is all but into the Super 4s stage of the Asia Cup. UAE beating Oman by 42 runs confirmed it officially as Suryakumar Yadav and his men could use their match vs Oman on the 19th as a practice game before the big Super 4s ahead.
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