Mohammad Amir Tears into Abhishek Sharma After Third Consecutive Duck
Veteran Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has delivered a scathing assessment of Indian opener Abhishek Sharma following the batter’s dismal run at the T20 World Cup 2026. Sharma’s form hit a new low during India’s final Group A fixture against the Netherlands in Colombo, where he registered his third consecutive duck of the tournament.
The dismissal has reignited debates surrounding the young opener’s technique against quality bowling, with Amir—who previously labeled Sharma a “slogger” before the India-Pakistan clash—doubling down on his criticism.
The Record-Breaking Slump
In the match against the Netherlands on Wednesday, Abhishek Sharma faced off-spinner Aryan Dutt in the first over. Attempting a pull shot on the third delivery, Sharma was beaten by the ball skidding through off the surface, resulting in his stumps being shattered. This dismissal marked a significant statistical low for the 24-year-old.
- Deliveries Faced: Sharma has faced only eight balls across three matches.
- Runs Scored: 0 runs in the ongoing tournament.
- Record Equaled: He joins Ashish Nehra on the list of Indian players with the most ducks in T20 World Cup history.
While legends like Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka) top the overall all-time list with five ducks each, Sharma’s accumulation of three in a single group stage is unprecedented for an Indian top-order batter.
Match Performance Data
| Opponent | Runs | Balls Faced | Dismissal Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 0 | 2 | Caught |
| Pakistan | 0 | 3 | Bowled |
| Netherlands | 0 | 3 | Bowled (A. Dutt) |
Amir Dissects Technical Flaws
Speaking on the sports analysis show Game on Hai, Mohammad Amir drew a direct comparison between Abhishek Sharma’s current struggles and the early career challenges of Pakistan opener Saim Ayub. Amir argued that international teams quickly identify and exploit a batter’s inability to play off-side shots.
“Saim had the same issue when he came to play the PSL a few years back,” Amir explained. “He was new and was hitting no-look shots. Nobody knew his weakness because most of his shots were on the leg side. Now, if you bowl at the third or fourth stump line, he struggles to decide. Even in his last two matches, he was dismissed playing on the off side. Unless he improves his off-side game, he cannot progress.”
Amir emphasized that Sharma suffers from a similar “slot-dependency,” looking to clear the leg-side boundary regardless of the line bowled.
‘International Cricket Will Expose You’
The veteran pacer, known for his ability to swing the new ball, warned that high-pressure environments like the T20 World Cup do not forgive one-dimensional batting. He cited the dismissals by Salman Agha and Aryan Dutt as evidence of a recurring pattern.
“Same for Abhishek. He wants every ball in the slot so he can hit. But at the bigger stages, or in ODIs, har ball lapete mein nahi le sakte (you cannot slog every ball in pressure cricket),” Amir stated. “International cricket will expose you.”
As India prepares for the Super 8 stage, the management faces a difficult decision regarding their opening combination. Sharma must urgently adjust his technique to counter bowlers targeting the channel outside off-stump if he hopes to retain his place in the playing XI.
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