Asia Cup: Abhishek Sharma makes records with 74 versus Pakistan
What's the story
Indian opener Abhishek Sharma shone against Pakistan in the Men's T20 Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. The Super 4 clash between the two sides saw Pakistan score 171/5 in 20 overs. In response, Abhishek and Shubman Gill added a 105-run stand for the opening wicket. India were then reduced to 123/3 with Abhishek's dismissal. The batter scored 74.
Knock
Abhishek shines with a gutsy effort
Abhishek set the tone with a six off the first ball, hammering Shaheen Afridi. He didn't look back and with Gill at the other end, the two toyed with the Pakistan bowlers. The two helped India score 69 in the powerplay overs. Abhishek hit a 24-ball fifty, completing the same in the 8th over. He finally perished for 74 off 39 balls.
Six
First-ball sixes on two occasions for Abhishek
Prior to his six against Afridi, Abhishek had also hit a six on the first ball of India's innings in the Asia Cup Group A clash against UAE in Dubai on September 10. As per Cricbuzz, Abhishek is the only Indian batter to achieve this feat twice in T20Is. Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson are the other Indians to do it once.
Do you know?
Abhishek completes 50 T20I sixes
Abhishek's knock of 74 was laced with six fours and five sixes. He has surpassed 50 sixes in T20Is. The southpaw has raced to 53 sixes. The 2nd six of his blade saw him get to the record.
Fastest 50
2nd-fastest T20I fifty in India vs Pakistan matches
Abhishek has now hit the 2nd-fastest fifty in India-Pakistan T20Is (by balls). As mentioned, he took 24 balls to complete his fifty. Fastest 50s in IND-PAK T20Is (by balls): 23 Mohd Hafeez, Ahmedabad 2012 24 Abhishek Sharma, Dubai 2025* 29 Yuvraj Singh, Ahmedabad 2012 32 Iftikhar Ahmed, Melbourne 2022 33 Misbah-ul-Haq, Durban 2007
Information
Highest opening stand for India against PAK (T20Is)
Abhishek and Gill's 105-run stand is now India's highest for the 1st wicket against Pakistan. The highest opening partnership for India against Pakistan before this was 77 runs between Gautam Gambhir & Ajinkya Rahane in Bengaluru in 2012.
Stats
Abhishek shines with 3rd T20I fifty on 150th T20 appearance
Playing his 21st T20I, Abhishek has raced to 708 runs at 35.40. This was his 3rd fifty in T20Is (100s: 2). His strike rate in T20Is read 197.21. As per ESPNcricinfo, the batter made his 150th T20 appearance. He now owns 4,207 runs at 31.87 from 146 innings. This was his 23rd T20 fifty (100s: 7). He owns 255 sixes in T20s.