‘Game-changer in no time’: Shoaib Akhtar’s big praise for Abhishek Sharma | Asia Cup 2025

Saurav Goyal

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‘Game-changer in no time’: Shoaib Akhtar’s big praise for Abhishek Sharma | Asia Cup 2025 image

Abhishek Sharma is not just scoring runs, he is making people sit up and take notice.

In Asia Cup 2025, his fearless batting has put him in the spotlight, and former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar feels the young opener is already a “game-changer.”

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With back-to-back match-winning knocks, the 25-year-old is not only carrying India’s batting but also breaking big records on the way.

Why does Shoaib Akhtar see Abhishek Sharma as a real threat?

Shoaib Akhtar, never shy to speak his mind, was all praise for the Indian opener. He said Abhishek has that rare quality to flip a match in just a few overs.

Even if the left-hander does not always reach a century, the way he attacks bowlers makes all the difference. According to Akhtar, if teams don’t get him out early, the game slips away quickly because of the pressure he creates.

"As I was saying, India have an impact player in Abhishek. Look, he might score 37 off 75 balls or 35 off 75 balls, aiming for a century, but unfortunately, he doesn’t quite get there. Still, in just 6 overs, he can completely change the course of the game," said Akhtar.

The Rawalpindi Express even explained how bowlers might plan for him- maybe try with a length ball, maybe bring in extra pacers but he admitted that dismissing Abhishek is easier said than done. 

"Let’s say we create a scenario where Pakistan gets him out with a length ball. In that case, if you’re playing with just one pacer or even two pacers and manage to get him out, where does that leave India?" He added.

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Abhishek Sharma has been on fire this tournament. Against Pakistan, he smashed 74 from just 39 balls.

Against Bangladesh, he was even better, hammering 75 off 37 deliveries with 6 fours and 5 sixes. Both innings earned him Player of the Match awards and pushed India into the final.

His six-hitting has also set a new benchmark. With 17 sixes already in the Asia Cup, Abhishek went past Afghanistan star Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s record of 15.

What makes it more special is that he did it in only 5 innings, while Gurbaz needed 8 matches across two tournaments.

The youngster has also joined Virat Kohli in an exclusive club by scoring half-centuries in consecutive T20 Asia Cup matches. Kohli did it in 2022 against Pakistan and Hong Kong, while Abhishek repeated the feat against Pakistan and Bangladesh this year.

If he manages another fifty against Sri Lanka, he will go past Kohli and become the first batter to score three in a row.

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