IND vs PAK, T20 World Cup: Abhishek Sharma’s Duck Triggers Big-Match Questions Among Fans

Indian opener Abhishek Sharma fell for a four-ball duck against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2026, his second straight duck. Back after illness, his early exit has raised questions over his temperament and ability to handle pressure in big matches.

Team India marauding opener Abhishek Sharma had a disappointing outing as he fell for a duck in the highly anticipated clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 against Pakistan at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, February 15.

Abhishek Sharma returned to playing XI after being ruled out of the match against Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi due to a stomach infection. Though there was an uncertainty over his participation in the blockbuster clash, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that the southpaw would play against Pakistan.

Abhishek was considered one of the key players for the marquee fixture, given his consistent performances in T20Is over the last couple of years, potentially making him a key threat to Pakistan bowlers ahead of the clash.

Abhishek Sharma Falls for 4-Ball Duck

When Suryakumar Yadav confirmed at the toss that Abhishek Sharma was returning to the playing XI, the Indian spectators at the stadium erupted in cheers, hoping for an explosive start. Such was their belief in the southpaw, whose attacking style of cricket has provided Team India with explosive starts, laying the foundation for solid totals or chasing down the challenging targets.

However, the hype and expectations around Abhishek Sharma were short-lived as he walked back to the dugout earlier than expected. Returning to action after recovering from a stomach infection, the southpaw was looking to get his rhythm before shifting gears, but aggressive intent backfired.

The left-handed opener took three balls to assess the conditions before attempting an attacking stroke, but miscued his shot on the fourth delivery off Salman Ali Agha’s bowling and was caught in the infield by Shaheen Afridi, with whom he had a much-anticipated battle in the marquee clash.

This was the second duck of the tournament for Abhishek Sharma, as he earlier registered a golden duck in India’s opening match against the USA in Mumbai. This means the swashbuckling opener has yet to open the account in his maiden T20 World Cup, with back-to-back ducks amplifying the pressure and sparking fresh debate over his place at the top in crunch encounters.

Abhishek Sharma’s Big-Match Pressure Under Scrutiny

Since the clash between India and Pakistan often grabs the attention of the cricketing world, Abhishek Sharma’s back-to-back failures have come under intense scrutiny, with the fans questioning the southpaw’s temperament in the marquee event like the T20 World Cup 2026.

Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), fans and cricket enthusiasts questioned Abhishek Sharma’s temperament in high-pressure games like India vs Pakistan and revisited the narrative of a big-match player. Two consecutive ducks in the T20 World Cup have put him under immense scrutiny, as many wondered whether the stage is weighing heavilyon the young opener.

Before meeting Pakistan in the T20 World Cup, Abhishek Sharma locked horns with arch-rivals three times at the Asia Cup last year, including the final, amassing 110 runs, including a fifty, at an average of 36.66 and a strike rate of 189.65, making his twin failures in the ongoing tournament all the more surprising.

In his T20I career, Abhishek Sharma has aggregated 1297 runs, including two centuries and eight fifties, at an average of 35.05 and a strike rate of 193.29 in 40 matches.