Abhishek Sharma joins Virat Kohli & Gautam Gambhir in this UNWANTED list after IND vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026 clash
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
Abhishek Sharma returned to the Indian XI for IND vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026 clash.
The greatest rivalry is back, as India and Pakistan lock horns in T20 World Cup 2026 encounter in Colombo. As a group stage match, this battle had an incredible build-up, surrounded by plenty of drama and controversies.
After all the backdoor talks on boycott, the two teams took the field with Pakistan winning the toss and opting to field first. India made two changes, choosing an extra spinner in Kuldeep Yadav, ahead of Arshdeep Singh.
Additionally, star left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma returned to the Indian playing XI, at the expense of Sanju Samson, who failed to utilise the opportunities that came his way.
Abhishek Sharma joins Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir in unwanted list after duck in IND vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026 clash
The India vs Pakistan clash in the T20 World Cup 2026 at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium delivered early drama as explosive opener Abhishek Sharma departed for a duck in the first over, dismissed by Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha.
This marked Abhishek’s second consecutive duck in the tournament, following a golden duck against the USA in the opener. He missed the Namibia game due to a viral fever and stomach bug but returned fit, only to fall cheaply again, and is yet to score a run in the 2026 edition.
Abhishek’s lean patch has thrust him into an unwanted spotlight. With this dismissal, he joins Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli as Indian openers with the most ducks in T20 World Cup history, each recording two ducks.
Most Ducks in T20 World Cup by Indian Openers
2 times – Abhishek Sharma*2 times – Gautam Gambhir2 times – Virat Kohli
Abhishek achieved this in just his maiden T20 World Cup campaign, highlighting a rare blemish for the currently top-ranked T20I batter. Historically, Ashish Nehra holds the overall unwanted record for India with three ducks in the format, though as a tail-ender.
Who dismissed Abhishek Sharma in the IND vs PAK match?
Salman Ali Agha dismissed Abhishek Sharma for a first-ball duck.
Which Indian openers share the unwanted duck record with Abhishek?
Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli also have two ducks each as openers in T20 World Cups.
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Aniruddh Seshadri Iyer is a passionate sports journalist at Khel Now, specializing in tennis and Olympic sports. An engineer by training, he found his storytelling passion through iconic Grand Slam and Olympic moments. Known for sharp analysis and insightful coverage, he draws inspiration from Novak Djokovic’s resilience. Outside journalism, he enjoys reading, traveling, and playing the guitar.