NEW DELHI: While the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan might not have been Abhishek Sharma’s best individual outing with the bat, being dismissed for just five runs, his overall performance in the tournament was nothing short of spectacular. Sharma had already established himself as the driving force behind India’s title victory, captivating audiences with his assertive and aggressive batting style that consistently left opponents scrambling.
The dynamic opener was instrumental in providing India with rapid starts and forging crucial partnerships with vice-captain Shubman Gill, laying solid foundations for successful chases and formidable totals. By the end of the tournament, Abhishek had amassed an impressive 314 runs across seven matches, boasting an exceptional average of 44.85 and a blistering strike rate of 200.
His phenomenal contributions were duly recognized when he was awarded the ‘Player of the Tournament,’ a significant milestone marking his first such honor, complete with a brand-new car as the prize.
The moment of his award presentation was made even more special by the enthusiastic cheers of his childhood friend and teammate, Shubman Gill. A video, which quickly went viral, captured Gill joyfully shouting, “Oye Raju da munda!” – an affectionate reference to Abhishek’s father, Rajkumar Sharma, as he celebrated his friend’s well-deserved success. Abhishek later shared this touching moment on his Instagram stories.
Reflecting on his achievement during the post-match presentation ceremony at the Dubai International Stadium, Abhishek humbly stated, “Getting a car is always a pleasure (smiles). Getting into this team after winning the World Cup was not easy for any opener. We had a plan that we had to play our game and show our intent from the first ball. Worked really hard on that.”
He further acknowledged the vital backing he received, saying, “If you play like this, you need special support from the coach and captain, and that is what I have been getting. If I do well and get those impact innings for the team, we should win. If you want to play like this, you will get failures – that is, the team you have to realize that if you play like this, you will win games for your team as well, and just follow the process.”
The 25-year-old Punjab native explained his strategy to maximize the Powerplay, asserting, “I had a plan (on adjusting to different surfaces), and I would utilize the Powerplay. Spinners, fast bowlers, any of the premium fast bowlers as well…I had it in my mind that I had to go from the first ball. That is going to help me give impact to my team, and that is what happened.”
Despite early dismissals for Abhishek, Shubman Gill, and captain Suryakumar Yadav in India’s chase, Tilak Varma brilliantly steered the team to a five-wicket victory with an unbeaten 69 runs, supported by valuable contributions from Sanju Samson (24) and Shivam Dube (33).
Earlier in the match, India’s bowling attack, spearheaded by Kuldeep Yadav (4-30), Varun Chakravarthy (2-30), and Axar Patel (2-26), was pivotal in securing the win, orchestrating a dramatic collapse that saw Pakistan fall from a strong position of 113/1 to being bowled out for just 146.
Abhishek Sharma’s outstanding performances earned him the Player of the Tournament award — his maiden such honour — and a brand-new car as the prize.