Five standout T20I innings from Abhishek Sharma
Abhishek Sharma produced five of his most notable T20I innings between July 2024 and the T20 World Cup 2026, including a century in his second T20I against Zimbabwe in July 2024 and a 21-ball 52 in the World Cup final at Narendra Modi International Stadium in Ahmedabad. Those performances featured in bilateral series and India's title-winning campaigns in the Asia Cup 2025 and the T20 World Cup 2026.
Abhishek made his international debut in 2024 and, within two years, established himself as an opening batter in T20Is while remaining yet to debut in ODIs or Tests. His aggressive approach and boundary-hitting ability have provided India with rapid starts and helped post and chase large totals across the past two years. He played a key role in India’s Asia Cup 2025 and T20 World Cup 2026 title runs and won the Player of the Tournament award in the Asia Cup 2025. The 25-year-old was also cited as one of the main reasons for India’s unbeaten run in bilateral series under Suryakumar Yadav and is regarded by the source as arguably among the format’s best batters currently.
Following Rohit Sharma’s retirement in June 2024, Abhishek was promoted to opener for the T20I series against Zimbabwe the next month. After a duck in the series opener, he struck 100 off 47 balls in his second T20I, hitting seven fours and eight sixes at a strike rate above 200; that knock is recorded as his first T20I century in July 2024 and was described as entering the record books.
In the five-match series against England at the start of 2025, Abhishek produced a highest score of 135 in the final game at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Batting in a total of 247/9, he made 135 off 54 balls with seven fours and 13 sixes, an innings that earned him the Player of the Match award and was said to have broken many records.
During the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four fixture against Pakistan, after India had beaten Pakistan in the opening game amid a handshake controversy, Pakistan posted 171/5. Abhishek responded with 74 off 39 balls, including five sixes, and shared a 105-run opening partnership with Shubman Gill (47) as India chased the target and won by six wickets.
Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, India played a five-T20I series with New Zealand; in the series opener in Nagpur Abhishek scored 84 off 35 deliveries with eight sixes and five fours at a strike rate of 240. His innings helped India post 238/7 and contributed to a 48-run victory, and he was named Player of the Match.
In the T20 World Cup 2026 final at Narendra Modi International Stadium in Ahmedabad, after struggling for runs earlier in the tournament, Abhishek hit 52 off 21 balls with three sixes and five fours. He put on an opening stand of 98 with Sanju Samson as India reached 255/5, and New Zealand were bowled out for 159 as India defended their title.
Across his T20I career to date, Abhishek Sharma has recorded two centuries and ten fifties, with his highest score the 135 against England.