"There's A Limit": Pakistan Greats Can't Stop Raving About Abhishek Sharma
From Wasim Akram to Shahid Afridi, an unlikely chorus of praise builds around Indias newest T20 force Abhishek Sharma.
With the T20 World Cup 2026 just ten days away, the player drawing the most attention isn't a tournament regular or a decorated veteran. Abhishek Sharma hasn't played a single World Cup match yet. He hasn't crossed 50 international T20 appearances either, and he doesn't even top India's batting averages. Still, his name keeps coming up-not just in Indian discussions, but repeatedly across the border in Pakistan. Former and current Pakistani cricketers have spent the last few weeks analyzing, admiring, and, at times, openly marveling at the 25-year-old left-hander from Amritsar. The reasons are consistent: his strike rate, his control at high speed, and an ability to clear the boundary without sacrificing range or balance.
Respect from across the border
Praise from Pakistan rarely arrives without scrutiny, but Abhishek has managed to win over voices from different generations. Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Kamran Akmal, Basit Ali, Misbah-ul-Haq, and Shahid Afridi have all highlighted the same thing-this isn't just brute hitting; it's clarity of intent.
His rise has been swift, but what stands out is how early he takes control of an innings, reading length quickly and forcing bowlers to abandon their plans.
A Guwahati innings that turned heads
The moment that sharpened the focus came in Guwahati. Abhishek's half-century off just 14 balls-part of an unbeaten 68 from 20 deliveries-transformed a modest chase into something far more emphatic. India reached 154 in just 10 overs, and the manner of it left little room for disbelief.
"I have never seen an innings like this," Wasim Akram said. "He has shown that he belongs at the very top of T20 cricket."
Misbah-ul-Haq, known for his measured assessments, echoed the sentiment: "We've played tape-ball cricket, club cricket, and watched games on very small grounds. But what we saw here - that's something different."
When T20 starts to look like T10
On television panels, Kamran Akmal and Basit Ali broke down the numbers. Matt Henry went for 28 in two overs. Jacob Duffy conceded 38 in two. Neither bowled a third.
"In T20, you can't go beyond that anyway," Basit Ali remarked dryly. "There's a limit."
For Akmal, the concern went beyond one innings. With Suryakumar Yadav returning to form, Abhishek stepping up when Sanju Samson struggled, and Ishan Kishan showing clear intent, India's batting order suddenly looks crowded with options. "If Sanju starts scoring as well," Akmal asked, "what happens to the rest of the teams?"
A problem bowlers struggle to solve
Shahid Afridi focused on Abhishek's range. "Batters like this are very difficult to contain," he said. "They don't rely on one area. When someone hits all around the ground, bowlers run out of answers."
Mohammad Yousuf added perspective with numbers. Abhishek's lowest strike rate-against off-spin-is still around 155, while his overall T20 strike rate is close to 195. "If he keeps improving," Yousuf said, "he'll be a challenge for any bowler, anywhere."
More than one player
For Basit Ali, Abhishek's rise reflects something larger. "India's class is on a different level now," he said. "I don't think even Australia can match them."
Kamran Akmal agreed, particularly in the shorter formats. "In T20s and Tests, India are very hard to catch. In ODIs, maybe Australia can compete. Otherwise, it's difficult."
Abhishek Sharma is still new to the World Cup stage. But when some of Pakistan's most respected cricket voices are already analyzing him in such detail, it's clear he won't arrive unnoticed.
Kamran Akmal