Pakistan Boldly Welcomes ‘Abhishek Sharma’ Challenge Ahead of Much-Anticipated Match

Abhishek Sharma is yet to score a run in the 2026 T20 World Cup, having recorded a duck during his only appearance against the United States.

Pakistan Boldly Welcomes ‘Abhishek Sharma’ Challenge Ahead of Much-Anticipated Match

Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha stated that his team is ready to face 'Abhishek Sharma' challenge. (via NDTV Sports)

In Short
  • Pakistan's captain Salman Ali Agha expressed hope that Indian opener Abhishek Sharma will recover in time to play in the upcoming match.
  • Sharma's fitness has been uncertain due to a recent hospitalization, but he has reportedly been practicing with the team.
  • Former Pakistani bowler Mohammad Amir criticized Sharma, labeling him a 'slogger' and questioning his technical abilities as a batter.

The stage is all set for the ultimate 2026 T20 World Cup showdown between India and Pakistan, with Salman Ali Agha accepting a pre-match challenge. The Pakistani skipper wished for star Indian opener Abhishek Sharma to be fit and playing in the encounter.

For the unversed, Abhishek Sharma’s availability for the India-Pakistan fixture was a major talking point, ever since the 25-year-old was hospitalized with a stomach infection. Sharma was forced to sit out of the group-stage encounter against Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. He had featured in India’s WC opener against the USA, with later reports revealing that the star batter was suffering from a high fever at the time.

While Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav had previously hinted that the left-hander is yet to regain fitness, recent reports indicate good news for the 2024 T20 WC-winning side. The left-hander is recovering well and has travelled with the team to Colombo, despite having lost nearly two kilos during his brief illness. He was spotted practicing in the nets on the eve of the India-Pakistan clash at the Premadasa Stadium. 

While a call on Abhishek Sharma’s availability is yet to be taken, Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha shared a unique stance. Despite Pakistan only having reversed its initial boycott decision just a few days ago, Agha insisted that his team is ‘ready’ at all times to face India. Regarding the world no.1 T20I batter’s participation, the 32-year-old surprisingly exclaimed that he hopes Sharma recovers well and in time, and is able to feature in the playing XI against Pakistan.

Agha called on the Indian leadership to ensure Sharma is selected, emphasizing his team’s intent to take on the ‘best’ and overcome any obstacle. By specifically naming Abhishek Sharma, the Pakistani captain fired up the stage for a high-stakes confrontation.

The 25-year-old’s numbers against Pakistan are equally phenomenal, making the contest all the more interesting. In three matches against them, he has notched up 110 runs at an average of 36.66, and a blistering strike-rate of 189.65. Salman Ali Agha told the reporters:

We all know he [Abhishek Sharma] is a good player, and I really hope he plays tomorrow because we want to play against the best team they have. I really hope he is recovering well and can play tomorrow.

Sharma scored most of his runs against Pakistan during the 2025 Asia Cup, where India beat their rivals an impressive three times, including the final. Furthermore, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav honored Agha’s request by confirming the young batsman would play.

Pakistan legend humiliates Abhishek Sharma by standing firm with his ‘slogger’ tag for young batter

Former Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Amir has ignited a major controversy after reiterating his comment about Abhishek Sharma. On a Pakistani show, the 33-year-old maintained that the young Indian opener is merely a ‘slogger’ due to his aggressive style of batting.

Abhishek Sharma slogger Pakistan
Ex-Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir labelled Abhishek Sharma as a mere ‘slogger’. (via India Today)

Sharma has firmly established himself as one of the fiercest batters in the shortest format of the game since 2024. The southpaw has played a total of 39 T20Is, scoring 1,297 runs at an average of 36.03 and a remarkable strike-rate of 194.45. He has recorded eight half-centuries and two hundreds, and is currently ranked the no.1 T20I batter in the world, while embracing his role under Gautam Gambhir.

However, ex-Pakistani pacer Mohammad Amir believes that Sharma, despite his incredible rise, might be vulnerable in challenging conditions. Recently, Amir drew criticism by labeling the 25-year-old left-hander a ‘slogger,’ arguing that he cannot properly judge or defend the line of the ball. Amir went on to deny Sharma the status of a proper batter, insisting he is only effective on flat Indian pitches. He said on Geo TV:

He [Abhishek Sharma] is a slogger, according to me. A player who doesn’t even know how to defend a ball, how can I consider him a proper batter? He comes and swings his bat…

Furthermore, Amir stated that he would only withdraw the ‘slogger’ label if Abhishek Sharma shows off his abilities on bowling-friendly surfaces. However, the Indian batter’s successful T20I tours to Australia and South Africa contradict the Pakistan legend’s assessment.

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