Page 49 - The Indian EYE 091925

STUMP VISION SEPTEMBER 19, 2025 | The Indian Eye 49

ASIA CUP

A look at Abhishek Sharma’s

consistent performances across

five past tournaments

OUR BUREAU their titles as they could not reach the
knockout stages.
Dubai
ACC Emerging Teams Cup 2024/25:
ndian opener Abhishek Sharma Playing for India A in this tour-
heads into the Asia Cup as the
Ibatter with the most promising nament, Abhishek scored 134 runs in
four innings at an average of 33.50 at a
strike rate in the T20 matches he has strike rate of 203.03, with a half-century
played since October 2023. to his name and best score of 58. Team
Since October 2023, which
marked the start of this Syed Mush- India made it to the semifinals, with his
cameo against Pakistan and 50 against
taq Ali Trophy tournament won by UAE being crucial contributions.
Punjab, Abhishek has been India’s
highest run-getter in T20s, with IPL 2024:
2,332 runs in 66 matches at an av- This marked the point when
erage of 36.43, with a strike rate of Abhishek’s exploits reached a wid-
198.29. He has scored six centuries er, mainstream audience. His pairing
and 12 fifties, with a best score of 141. with Australian opener Travis Head,
Capable of clearing the bound- popularly known as ‘Travi-Shek’,
ary right from ball one, and with a broke powerplay batting records of
blink-and-miss bat swing, the Yuvraj T20 cricket and redefined the shortest
Singh-mentored Punjabi hitter is format of the game to a point when
amongst the most prominent faces of scoring even 60-75 runs in powerplay
India’s new age T20I approach. The looked underwhelming.
25-year-old baby-faced hitter is ex- Abhishek was the 10th-highest
actly opposite of what his look might run-getter in the tournament and his
suggest, as he is seen as one of the team’s second-highest, with 484 runs in
cleanest and powerful strikers of the 16 matches and innings at an average
cricket ball. of 32.26 and a strike rate of 204.21, with
three half-centuries and a best score of
One can witness glimpses of a 75*. He hit a total of 42 sixes in this
tournament, the highest by an Indian
young Yuvraj in the youngster. The batter in a single edition of the IPL.
team now has new anchors with- Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023/24:

out Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Abhishek Sharma (File photo) Held from October to Novem-
ber 2023, this tournament is by far the
highest point of Abhishek’s career,
In 17 matches and 16 innings, Here are performances of Abhishek in all 15th-highest run-getter with 439 with 485 runs in 10 matches at an aver-
Abhishek has scored 535 runs at an av- the recent five major T20I tournaments: runs in 14 matches and 13 innings age of 48.50 at a strike rate of 192.50,
at an average of 33.76 with a strike
erage of 33.43 at a strike rate of 193.84, IPL 2025: rate of 193.39, with a century and two with two centuries and three fifties and
with two centuries and two fifties, with During the 2025 IPL season, half-centuries to his name. However, a best score of 112. He ended as the
his 54-ball 135 against a star-studded Abhishek started off poorly in the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) finished second-highest run-getter in the tour-
England being his best performance first five matches. But a destructive in the bottom half of the table. nament, helping Punjab lift the title.
in Indian colours. The choice for 141 in just 55 balls, with 14 fours Since October 2023, which
Abhishek appears to be simple, either and 10 sixes against Punjab Kings Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024/25: marked the start of this SMAT tour-
kill the game and opposition right in (PBKS) had fans hyped again. Af- Representing his home state nament, Abhishek has been India’s
the powerplay or perish. While incon- ter this knock, Abhishek found of Punjab, Abhishek ended as the highest run-getter in T20s, with 2,332
sistency is a frustrating by-product of more consistency, with two more 22nd-highest run-getter with 255 runs runs in 66 matches at an average of
his ferocious approach, an in-form half-centuries and some vital open- in seven innings at an average of 42.50, 36.43, with a strike rate of 198.29. He
Abhishek depositing the white-ball ing cameos. He ended as the side’s with a best score of 106* and a strike has scored six centuries and 12 fifties,
in the stands is a sight to behold. second-highest run-getter and over- rate of 216.10. Punjab failed to defend with a best score of 141.

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