Chasing 157, India reached the target in just 13.4 overs, with Abhishek Sharma producing a breathtaking 82 off only 32 balls. His explosive knock included seven fours and seven sixes, while he raced to his half-century in just 22 deliveries. His innings earned him the Player of the Match award.
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra praised Abhishek’s fearless batting and ability to completely dominate bowling attacks. Chopra noted that the left-hander had recently regained some form in the Sher-E-Punjab T20 League after going through a lean patch.
“Abhishek Sharma, who was going through a slight lean patch, came after scoring a few runs in the Sher-E-Punjab T20 League, and this is where he scored 82 runs off 32 balls with seven sixes. 82 is a massive, massive score,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Abhishek also played a key role in India’s chase alongside Ishan Kishan. The pair added 121 runs for the second wicket, with Kishan scoring a composed 42 off 33 balls.
Reflecting on Abhishek’s explosive display, Chopra highlighted the batter’s ability to make even large venues look small when he gets going.
“The match was over in 13.4 overs. It seemed like he would score a hundred, but he got out eventually. However, when he starts batting, all grounds look small. He keeps reminding us that Abhishek can do this if he fires, and do it so quickly,” Chopra said.
The innings was particularly significant for Abhishek after a difficult run of form in T20Is. He had entered the Afghanistan clash with four consecutive single-digit scores and was averaging just 6.66 across his previous six T20Is.
His stunning 82 against Afghanistan, however, served as a timely reminder of his explosive potential and gave India a winning start to the three-match series.
