T20 World Cup 2026: Will Abhishek Sharma be able to return to form after two ducks?

Explosive India opener Abhishek Sharma arrived at the T20 World Cup carrying the tag of the world’s No.1 ranked T20I batter. However, two matches into the tournament, the explosive opener is yet to open his account. Against Pakistan in Colombo, he registered his second consecutive duck, falling in the very first over.

Having missed the Namibia fixture due to illness, Abhishek returned to the playing XI but lasted only four deliveries. Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha surprised India by taking the new ball and executed the plan perfectly. Abhishek attempted an aggressive stroke early on, only to be caught by Shaheen Afridi. The extra pace and subtle spin from Salman Ali Agha proved too testing in the powerplay, as he bowled two incisive overs to put India under early pressure.

Despite Abhishek’s early departure, India cruised to a commanding 61-run victory. Interestingly, statistics show that India win 96 percent of their T20Is when Abhishek scores 30 or more - a reminder of how impactful he can be at the top. Yet, this lean patch is not entirely new; he had also recorded two ducks during the five-match home series against New Zealand prior to the World Cup.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes there is no reason for drastic changes. Speaking to Sanjana Ganesan for the ICC, Shastri emphasised that patience is key. He suggested that such phases are part of a cricketer’s journey and that Abhishek only needs a bit of time to regain rhythm. According to Shastri, once he settles, converting dot balls into boundaries and sixes comes naturally to him.

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Abhishek’s hallmark has always been his fearless approach- dismantling bowling attacks inside the powerplay by turning pressure into opportunity. But that method requires surviving the initial few overs, something he has struggled with recently while trying to dominate too soon.

With this latest duck, Abhishek now shares an unwanted record in T20 World Cups alongside Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli, each having two ducks in the tournament.