Team India opener Abhishek Sharma rediscovered his touch with a scintillating half-century against Zimbabwe in a crucial Super 8 encounter in T20 World Cup. After enduring three consecutive ducks and a laboured 15, the spotlight was firmly on him heading into this must-win clash. Rising to the occasion at Chepauk, the left-hander showed composure and intent, playing with the freedom that had been missing in his earlier outings. Abhishek struck 55 off just 30 deliveries, peppering the boundary with four sixes and four fours. His fluent strokeplay at the top laid a strong platform and set the tone for India’s imposing total of 256/4, easing pressure on himself and giving the innings early momentum.
He brought up his half-century in just 26 deliveries, snapping his lean run in his maiden T20 World Cup. The knock is sure to give him a timely confidence boost as the tournament progresses.
Reflecting on his return to form after a lean patch, Abhishek admitted he felt a sense of relief and spoke candidly about the unwavering backing he received from his teammates and support staff during a difficult phase.
“Of course, there’s a relief, but what I felt in the days I’ve spent with the team was that they had more belief than me, so I think that was the one thing I really enjoyed and it actually made me a bit emotional as well. I wasn’t doing so well, I was trying my best but still it wasn’t coming out, the outcome wasn’t coming the best, but the way teammates, coaches, they all just wanted me to do well, I think that was the best thing, one of the best feelings I had in all these previous days,” Abhishek said in a video posted by BCCI.
Opening up about the dressing-room atmosphere, Abhishek said the bond within the squad goes beyond cricket, describing the group as a family that stood firmly behind him while he waited for his breakthrough moment.
“It’s actually meant like, you are in a family only, it’s not just a team, so you are that close with all of the teammates and all the coaches that they actually want you to do well, and I was just waiting for this day,” he added.
The swashbuckling opener arrived at the T20 World Cup carrying the tag of ICC’s No. 1 ranked T20I batter, but his campaign got off to a rough start. Battling a stomach infection, he was dismissed for a duck against the USA and was subsequently ruled out of the Namibia game. His return, however, did little to change his fortunes, as he registered two more ducks, completing an unwanted hat-trick and enduring a rare slump on the big stage.
“It’s all dedicated to my team”: Abhishek Sharma
Speaking about the tough phase, Abhishek admitted the early failures were difficult to digest, especially on a stage as big as the World Cup. He credited the captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir for standing firmly behind him, saying their reassurance and continued faith helped him stay confident despite the run of ducks.
“It didn’t start the way I wanted, I was actually in the hospital and I wasn’t feeling so well, that you know, playing the first game for the country and that also in the World Cup, a positive start or maybe the best start I wanted, but still I feel the support, the love the teammates, they all have showed me throughout all these days, especially the coach and captain – no matter if you do another zero, probably get out early, you’re gonna play all the games, you’re gonna win the games for the team. So I think that’s very important as a player, to have that support from the team and the coaches,” he said.
The young opener further said the innings was a tribute to the dressing room, highlighting how the team environment and the faith shown in him during lean patches motivated him to deliver.
“It’s all dedicated to my team, I mean I love this team, the way they have kept all the players, especially me as well, they actually wanted me to do really well, so all of that,” he added.
