Harbhajan Singh slammed ex-Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir for calling Abhishek Sharma a ‘slogger’ ahead of T20 World Cup 2026 clash, defending the young opener as a proper batter with every shot in his arsenal and warning Amir not to underestimate him.
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh slammed ex-Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir for calling swashbuckling opener Abhishek Sharma ‘just a slogger’ ahead of the marquee clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, February 15.
Mohammad Amir, who was part of the Pakistan team in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup, took a dig at Abhishek Sharma by labelling the southpaw ‘slogger’, stating that the left-handed opener relies on aggressive hitting on easy pitches, lacks defensive technique, and hasn’t yet been tested on challenging conditions.
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This sparked a debate on social media, with many trolling Mohammad Amir for his remarks on Abhishek Sharma, who will face Pakistan for the first time at an ICC tournament, putting the young opener under the spotlight ahead of the high-voltage clash in Colombo. The southpaw is one of the key players for Team India in the Pakistan clash.
As confirmed by India skipper Suryakumar Yadav at the press conference in Colombo, Abhishek Sharma will play the much-anticipated clash of the tournament after recovering from a stomach infection, for which he was ruled out of the match against Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday, February 12.
‘Abhishek Sharma is a Proper Batter’
As Mohammad Amir took a ‘slogger’ jibe at Abhishek Sharma, Harbhajan Singh has come out in defence of the young opener.
Speaking to ANI, a former India spinner turned commentator argued that Abhishek is not just a power hitter but has a wide range of shots in his arsenal, reads the bowlers well and can score in all areas of the field, making the ‘slogger’ label unfair and misleading.
“Come on — what am I supposed to say to that? He just gets up and says anything. If you call him a slogger, fine, let him smash sixes — but he’s a proper batter who has every shot in the book,” Harbhajan said.
“He knows exactly where the ball is coming from and plays accordingly. He can go over cover, through point, long-on, long-off, midwicket — he has every shot. After that, you can’t label him just as a slogger,” he added.
Abhishek Sharma faced off Pakistan three times, including the final, at the Asia Cup 2025 and amassed 110 runs, including a fifty, at an average of 36.66 and a strike rate of 189.65. This highlights his ability to perform in the high-stakes battle against Pakistan and making him a key threat to the Men in Green in the Colombo encounter.
‘Don’t Want to Create More Drama’
Further speaking on Mohammad Amir’s remark on Abhishek Sharma, Harbhajan Singh hinted that Pakistan does not have a ‘slogger’ like India’s left-handed opener, adding that he does not want to create any more drama ahead of the marquee clash between India and Pakistan in Colombo.
However, a former Indian spinner warned Amir that Abhishek Sharma’s talent shouldn’t be underestimated, adding that if the southpaw performs well against Pakistan, it will linger in the minds of the opponents for months, proving he’s a top-class batter.
“If I start naming real sloggers, some people might get offended, but I don’t want to create more drama. Calling anyone just a slogger isn’t fair. Abhishek is a top-class batter who has already proven himself in world cricket,” Harbhajan added.
“Just wait and watch. If Abhishek stays at the crease, he’ll remind everyone who he is. For the last four or five months, he’s already been in your dreams. If he goes big tomorrow, he’ll be in your dreams for the next six months,” he added.
Abhishek Sharma has amassed 1297 runs, out of which he has scored 861 runs at a strike rate of 189.64 in the first six overs of an innings. Which means the southpaw has accounted for around 66% of his total T20I runs in the powerplay, which underlines his dominance at the top of the order and his crucial role in giving India explosive starts in T20I matches.