Abhishek Sharma termed as next 'Virat Kohli' after sensational innings in T20 World Cup final
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Legendary Indian pacer Zaheer Khan went on to praise Abhishek Sharma for his massive impact innings against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup final. Murali Kartik, on the other hand, recalled how big players perform on big occasions and compared Abhishek's innings to Virat Kohli's special innings in the finals after a low-scoring streak in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
India, the defending champions of the 2024 T20 World Cup and the current ruling champions of the 2026 edition as well, set the record for being the first team to have defended their title successfully, and that too on their home soil. However, the reigning champions did not make a very stable start to the tournament.
The reason for an unconvincing start began with Abhishek Sharma's poor form during the early group-stage games for India. He played in three of the four group stage games and returned with three consecutive teams, two of which came against minnows like the USA and the Netherlands.
Abhishek's impact came when it mattered the most- Zaheer Khan
The Indian left-handed batter averaged 3.75 when India played their vital second Super-8 game against Zimbabwe after a humiliating loss to South Africa. He then scored his first half-century of the competition, where he finished with a 30-ball 55. However, that was not the end of his miseries, as he continued to fail in his next two successive innings.
Going into the final, Abhishek, whose confidence might have also hit an all-time low, just had 89 runs across 7 outings for India. However, his impactful innings ruled the final.
"We had huge expectations from him (Abhishek). Especially speaking of his form in this World Cup, a lot was expected to come, but Abhishek Sharma suffered from some kind of illness, and then he went out of form for a short period during the World Cup.
"He was getting dismissed early; however, when things mattered the most, his impact came to the rescue. If he faces deliveries, then he will bat at this strike rate. This is crucial to the team, because it adds a huge impact at the start of the innings. Even Sanju Samson got some time today, and despite that, a record powerplay was seen today," said Zaheer Khan on Cricbuzz Live.
He added, "Abhishek might not have had the best World Cup, but he always had the best ability, and that is the reason that the team backed him, and his impact was clear and obvious."
Cometh the hour, cometh the man- Murali Kartik hypes Abhishek Sharma
Former Indian spinner Murali Kartik then went on to make a massive comparison, as he credited Abhishek Sharma for his impact in the final despite a silent tournament so far, while referring to one of Virat Kohli's most iconic T20 World Cup innings that came in the 2024 World Cup final after a silent tournament for him as well.
"You had only said, 'Cometh the hour, cometh the man,'" Murali Kartik pointed out to the presenter, Gaurav Kapoor, and claimed, "Who was the man in the last World Cup? It was VK, 18."
"Similar were the expectations from him (Abhishek Sharma). People predicted that such a thing could happen and that is what finally happened. Strike rate of 247. He comes out as if he reaches from 0 to 100 in two seconds," Kartik praised Abhishek.
'2024 में Kohli की तरह , Abhishek ने बड़े मौके पर दिया बड़ा योगदान' @kartikmurali , @ImZaheer और @gauravkapur ने की पारी की सराहना, Cricbuzz Live हिन्दी पर | Powered by @AmbujaCementACL #T20WorldCup #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/NamyPPSLgl
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) March 9, 2026
Abhishek Sharma finished his maiden T20 World Cup with 141 runs
The left-handed Superstar from India, despite the strong finish to the tournament, would not mark this as a memorable season with the bat. He made a silent start to 2026 but would surely look to bounce back after having boosted his confidence with the knock in the finals.
After three ducks, two half-centuries, and an average of 17.62, Abhishek Sharma finished his series with 141 runs. Though he had a decent strike rate with the two fifties coming at a good pace, his maiden ICC tournament might not have been memorable enough in terms of individual stats.
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India National Cricket Team ICC T20 World Cup Abhishek Sharma Zaheer Khan Virat Kohli Murali Kartik India vs New ZealandAbout the Author
This author is a member of Cricketaddictor who writes news and analysis related to cricket.
