In the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2026 held at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, Team India triumphed over England by a narrow margin of seven runs. During this tense match, opener Abhishek Sharma faced difficulties, scoring just nine runs off seven balls, with two boundaries to his name.
Reflecting on Abhishek’s performance, former cricket star Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his desire to have a heart-to-heart with the left-handed batsman. He emphasized that Abhishek doesn’t need to overly force his batting. “Abhishek performed well against New Zealand in the bilateral series, so I’m not overly worried about him. However, I would advise him that there’s a strategy involved. He shouldn’t feel the need to hit hard all the time. I sensed a bit of aimless batting from him. I admire him greatly, but it seemed his only goal was to score quickly,” Ashwin remarked.
He continued, “Sometimes, it’s essential to take your time. Sanju was playing exceptionally well at the other end. A single here and there can help you settle in. Your opportunity will come eventually.”
Looking ahead to the title match against New Zealand, Ashwin shared his thoughts, admitting he would have been more anxious if India were facing South Africa. “India has some areas of concern. If the final were against South Africa, I’d be genuinely worried. However, they are up against New Zealand. The last encounter in Ahmedabad saw New Zealand with nearly the same lineup. I plan to discuss what kind of net sessions Varun and Abhishek should engage in. After this match, instilling confidence in these two players will be my top priority,” the 39-year-old concluded.
The T20 World Cup 2026 final between India and New Zealand is set to take place on March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
T20 World Cup 2026, IND vs NZ: Full Squads
India: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan (WK), Rinku Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Tilak Varma.
New Zealand: James Neesham, Devon Conway (WK), Cole McConchie, Daryl Mitchell, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Mitchell Santner (C), Mark Chapman, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Seifert (WK), Glenn Phillips, Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra.