Abhishek Sharma flopped yet again with the bat in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. The southpaw arrived at the competition with massive expectations but so far, he has scored only 80 runs in seven matches, which is very unlike his character. In the semi-final against England at the Wankhede Stadium, he had the perfect opportunity to silence the critics and establish his authority. However, it was once again an off-spinner who got the better of him in the second over of the game.
Abhishek had already smacked two boundaries in the over and there was no reason for him to go for the big hit again, especially when he had struggled against off-spinners throughout the tournament. Nevertheless, he clearly didn’t learn the lessons and got out in a similar fashion that has become a trend for him.
Notably, in the final ball of the second over, Will Jacks bowled a slower one through the air, which drifted inwards. Abhiehsk failed to decipher that and danced down the track. He flicked it on the leg side but it ended up being a simple catch for Phil Salt.
Sanju Samson delivers big time
After Abhishek departed, Sanju Samson took over the business and delivered a spectacle in the middle. The keeper-batter went berserk, completing his half-century in just 26 balls. In the previous contest against West Indies, the Kerala batter established his authority in the middle, scoring 97 runs as India won the must-win game.
He kept up with the momentum even against England and this time, Ishan Kishan supported him well in the middle. The duo didn’t take time to settle down as they launched a scathing attack on England's bowlers, who looked clueless in the middle.
The surface also had a huge role to play in India’s brilliant start to the game. It has barely anything to offer to the bowlers and both the keeper-batters have taken advantage of that so far. Meanwhile, given the good start, India would hope to post around 230 runs at least in the first innings.
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