"Didn't recognise Abhishek Sharma, he came up and said.."- Wasim Akram drops Bombshell
Published - 28 Feb 2025, 01:04 PM | Updated - 28 Feb 2025, 01:06 PM
Former cricketer Wasim Akram shared a recent encounter with young batter Abhishek Sharma during the match between India and Pakistan in the Champions Trophy 2025. The legendary pacer said that he failed to recognize Abhishek Sharma but later recalled his explosive innings against England.
Abhishek was spotted at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium for the Champions Trophy 2025 match on February 23. He last played in the five-match T20I series against England earlier this month. The southpaw scored 279 runs at an impressive average of 55 across five games in India's 4-1 series win.
I Didn’t Recognise Abhishek Sharma at First - Wasim Akram
Following India’s Group A win over Pakistan, a viral video captured Wasim Akram praising Abhishek Sharma for his stunning century against England at Wankhede earlier in the month.
Speaking after the Afghanistan vs England game, Wasim Akram revealed a story about his first meeting with Abhishek Sharma. Akram recalled how Abhishek dismantled England’s bowling attack. He stated that this was just the beginning for the next 15-20 years.
“Look, I met him in Dubai. I was in the DP World Box and I didn’t recognise him at first. This young boy came up to me and said ‘I am Abhishek Sharma. I said wahi ‘Abhishek jisne maar maar k England ka dumba banaya?," Akram said while speaking on the Dressing Room show.
“I said, ‘Well done, beta. ‘ He’s a very good-looking boy. I have seen a couple of clips of his batting. I think he has a very bright future. I gave him only one piece of advice: I said this is just the start, think you have to play for another 15-20 years for your country," he added.
Abhishek Sharma Is an Excellent Hard-Hitting Batter - Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram compared Abhishek Sharma’s 37-ball century against England to Shahid Afridi’s then-record fastest ODI hundred in 37 deliveries against Sri Lanka in 1996. Akram said that Sharma is an excellent hard-hitting batter and advised him to stay focused on his game.
“The kind of talent that he has, I believe he is also a very good fielder. What a player and what an innings. A 37-ball hundred. I had heard of Boom Boom Afridi and now this," Akram said.
“I have seen his innings, and I think he is an excellent hard-hitting batter. He just needs to keep focusing on his game," Akram added.
Abhishek Sharma Set Record for Highest Individual T20I Score by an Indian
The century Wasim Akram mentioned came on February 2 during a T20I match between India and England at Wankhede Stadium. Sharma scored 135 off just 54 balls, smashing 13 sixes. The southpaw set a new record for the highest individual T20I score by an Indian, surpassing Shubman Gill.
His all-round performance didn’t stop there as he also took two wickets. The Suryakumar-led team secured a massive 150-run victory. So far in his 17-match T20I career, the Punjab batter has amassed 535 runs at a staggering strike rate of 193.84, with two centuries and two half-centuries to his name.
