With India all set to take on South Africa in their first Super 8 match of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Abhishek Sharma‘s poor form has become a major talking point.
The southpaw entered the competition as the best T20I batsman in the world and many backed him to take the competition by storm. However, Abhishek Sharma has looked like a pale shadow of his usual self in the tournament so far. After playing three matches in his first T20 World Cup, he is yet to open his account.
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He started his campaign with a duck against USA before missing the next game against Namibia due to an upset stomach. The left-hander returned to action against Pakistan but again failed to open his account. In India’s final group game against Netherlands, Abhishek Sharma returned to the pavilion without getting off the mark for the third time in a row.
Ravi Shastri on Abhishek Sharma’s form:
While Abhishek Sharma’s sudden dip in form will definitely be a big concern for India, former head coach Ravi Shastri believes otherwise. Speaking to ICC, the former India allrounder stated that the opener’s struggle in the group phase might be a blessing in disguise.
Shastri stated that he considers Sharma’s three zeros as a positive, explaining that the opener is saving his best for the important phase in the World Cup.
“I look at it as a positive that Abhishek Sharma has got three zeros. So, save your best for the important periods in the tournament. Teams will be a little worried that he’s not got runs,” said Shastri.
India and South Africa two of the strongest teams:
Shastri further spoke on the upcoming match between India and South Africa. He hailed them as two of the strongest teams in the competition and said that the match is going to be a cracking one.
“They’ve got depth in batting. India have got depth in batting. I think this is a cracking contest. This is two of the strongest teams, one would say, playing in this tournament, playing this game on the 22nd. Because you’d have to give them that credit because they were World Cup finalists last time around and they’re playing to potential at the moment,” said Shastri.
Both India and South Africa have qualified for the Super 8s by winning all of their four group games and will be keen on extending the winning run. Apart from India and South Africa, West Indies and Zimbabwe are also in this group. The top two teams will be qualifying for the semifinal.
