Abhishek Sharma Milestone: In a tournament where stars have shone and reputations have been tested, one young name has quietly and then explosively – stolen the spotlight.
Abhishek Sharma, India’s new batting sensation, is not just making headlines; he’s rewriting them.
As India gears up for their first-ever Asia Cup final against Pakistan in T20I format, all eyes are not just on the high-stakes rivalry, but also on the 24-year-old from Punjab who’s on the cusp of scripting T20I history.
The Run Machine of Asia Cup 2025
With 309 runs to his name in just six matches, Abhishek is currently the leading run-scorer of the tournament. His staggering average of 51.50 and a jaw-dropping strike rate of 204.63 speak volumes of both his consistency and his aggressive intent – the latter being something India has long sought at the top of the order in T20 cricket.
His scores? A telling pattern: 30, 31, 38, 74, 75, 61 – three steady starts, followed by three back-to-back fifties, all in the Super Four stage. He hasn’t failed once. And now, he’s standing just 11 runs away from surpassing Virat Kohli’s record for the most runs by an Indian in a multi-nation T20I tournament. Let that sink in – he’s about to eclipse a modern-day giant.
But that’s not all.
Chasing Global Records, Not Just Indian Ones
Abhishek is also within striking distance of overtaking Phil Salt’s record of 331 runs, the highest ever by a batter from a Test-playing nation in a single T20I tournament or series. Back in 2023, Salt achieved the feat during England’s tour of the West Indies. Abhishek is just 23 runs away.
It doesn’t stop there. He’s currently tied with Rohit Sharma and Mohammad Rizwan for the most consecutive 30-plus scores in T20s (7 innings). One more 30+ score in the final, and he stands alone at the top, ahead of two of the format’s most consistent performers.
A Star Forged in the IPL Furnace
Abhishek’s rise hasn’t been sudden. Fans of the IPL will remember his electrifying opening stands for Sunrisers Hyderabad alongside Australian star Travis Head. That left-right duo terrorized bowling attacks, laying the foundation for what has now become Abhishek’s signature style: fearless stroke play with a sharp cricketing brain.
His IPL form seamlessly transitioned into the international stage. In 2025 alone, Abhishek has piled up 588 runs in 11 T20Is, averaging 53.45 and striking at 211.51 – a combination that’s almost unheard of, even in modern T20 cricket. His overall T20I numbers? 844 runs in 23 matches at a strike rate of 197.65, including two centuries and five fifties, with a personal best of 135.
More Than Just Firepower
What sets Abhishek apart isn’t just the sixes or the strike rate. It’s the ability to adapt under pressure, and to dominate without recklessness. That balance of temperament and explosiveness has made him indispensable to this Indian side, especially at a time when experienced names have struggled to find rhythm.
Yet, as the final looms, the law of averages casts a shadow. Abhishek hasn’t had a single failure in this tournament. Could the pressure of the final be his undoing? Or will he rise once more and deliver a performance that seals not just a title for India, but a place for himself in cricketing folklore?
If Abhishek goes big tonight, the game could be over before Pakistan even gets a chance to catch up.