During the match, Team India's swashbuckling opening batsman Abhishek Sharma departed on a three-ball duck. This also marked his third duck in the ongoing global showpiece
Sunil Gavaskar, Abhishek Sharma (Pic: File Pic)
In the T20 World Cup 2026 match against the Netherlands, Team India emerged victorious by 17 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
During the match, Team India's swashbuckling opening batsman Abhishek Sharma departed on a three-ball duck. This also marked his third duck in the ongoing global showpiece.
Speaking about him, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar feels that the left-handed batsman is under pressure of being the big six-hitter and top batsman. He also said that Abhishek should not try to smash a maximum or a boundary on the very first ball of his innings.
"Abhishek Sharma is a lovely guy, but expectations seem to be weighing on him. If he had started well against USA, it would have been different. Now, the pressure of being the big six-hitter and top batter is showing. With his shot range, he needs to spend time in the middle. He cannot try to hit a boundary or six on the first ball of his innings. If the big shots come, fine. But he shouldn't force himself to play the big shots across the line," he said on Star Sports.
The former cricketer also said that Abhishek should take an over or two to settle at the crease and then showcase his natural game.
"Take a single and get off the mark. Even four dot balls don't matter. He can make up for them later. He needs to play smart at the start. Spend an over or two settling in, then play his natural game. First, just get off the mark. Every batter wants that first run. Once he gets it, everything will fall into place," said Gavaskar.
The "Men in Blue" will now lock horns with South Africa in the "Super 8" stage of the tournament. The match is scheduled to be played on February 22 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
India's squad for the T20 World Cup 2026
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan (WK), Rinku Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Tilak Varma.
(With PTI Inputs)
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