The first encounter between India and Pakistan in this Asia Cup on September 14th set the stage for a dramatic rivalry. Facing Shaheen Shah Afridi’s opening delivery, Abhishek Sharma fearlessly charged down the pitch, transforming an intended away-swinger into a full toss and smashing it straight down the ground for a boundary.
A week later, in their second face-off, Afridi smartly adjusted his length to prevent a similar assault. However, Sharma, demonstrating his keen understanding of the game, anticipated the change. He held his ground and elegantly pulled the ball past fine leg, sending it soaring for a six.
While these are just two moments in their individual contests, they perfectly illustrate the surprising dominance Abhishek has shown against Afridi. For Sharma, reputations mean nothing; he approaches the left-arm quick with the same fearless aggression that has become a hallmark of his successful T20I career over the last year. The statistics speak volumes: across both matches, Abhishek has amassed 31 runs off just 14 balls from Afridi, remaining unbeaten against him.
Abhishek Sharma’s aggressive batting has been a key factor.
In both thrilling encounters, Afridi struggled to regain his rhythm after Sharma’s initial onslaught. During the first match, where Pakistan defended a modest 127/9, the powerful left-arm pacer from Pakistan was taken for 23 runs in his first two overs. Among Sharma’s many brilliant shots was a commanding whip over midwicket for six, leading Captain Salman Agha to surprisingly pull his primary bowler from the attack for a second spell.
For their second match on September 21st, Pakistan had a more challenging total to defend. Yet, Afridi faced another difficult evening, conceding 40 runs in almost four overs without taking a single wicket.
Considering Afridi’s impressive nine wickets in the tournament’s other four matches, it’s clear just how effectively the Indian batsmen—especially Abhishek—have nullified Pakistan’s dangerous new-ball threat.
India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel, perfectly captured the anticipation for their showdown in Sunday’s final: “Shaheen is an aggressive bowler who will try and knock you over. And Abhishek is not going to hold back.”
He added, “Every time these two champions clash, cricket fans everywhere are on the edge of their seats. We eagerly await Sunday’s final to witness and enjoy this magnificent battle.”