Abhishek Sharma dethrones Mohammad Rizwan
Abhishek Sharma Milestone: On a warm evening under the lights at the Dubai International Stadium, a 25-year-old from Punjab set the cricketing world ablaze. Abhishek Sharma, India’s rising batting dynamo, turned a high-pressure Asia Cup clash against Sri Lanka into his personal playground and in the process, etched his name in the record books with a knock that was part power, part poetry.
It was an innings that didn’t just sizzle – it roared.
Rizwan Dethroned: A New King of Asia Emerges
Walking in after the early loss of Shubman Gill, who was undone by a peach from Maheesh Theekshana for just 4, Abhishek didn’t blink. Instead, he counterattacked with the kind of swagger that has fast become his signature. Sri Lanka’s bowlers, led by the usually disciplined Theekshana and Chameera, were reduced to spectators as Abhishek launched a clinical assault on anything even remotely loose.
He brought up his half-century in just 22 balls, the kind of number that belongs in video games rather than in pressure-packed international matches. By the time he was dismissed for a thunderous 61 off 31, he had rewritten the record books.
Stat Alert 🚨 – #TeamIndia opener Abhishek Sharma now has the most runs in a T20 Asia Cup edition 👏👏
He has scored 309 runs so far and becomes the first batter to achieve this feat. pic.twitter.com/xELyd078Kz
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 26, 2025
Record-Breaker in the Gulf
With this innings, Abhishek Sharma became the highest run-scorer in a single edition of the T20 Asia Cup, overtaking Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan, who had amassed 281 runs during the 2022 edition.
Not only did Abhishek go past Rizwan, he became the first-ever batter to breach the 300-run mark in a single Asia Cup T20 tournament. And what’s more? He’s not done yet.
It’s a staggering achievement for a player featuring in his first full Asia Cup campaign. With every stroke – the lofted cover drives, the crisp pulls, the audacious scoops, he’s making a case to be not just a key player, but a mainstay in India’s white-ball future.
The Star Shines, Others Falter
While Abhishek lit up the night, the rest of India’s top order continued to struggle with inconsistency. Captain Suryakumar Yadav, a titan in franchise cricket, continued his lean patch in national colours, managing just 12 off 13 balls before falling LBW to Wanindu Hasaranga. His recent returns in the tournament now read: 7*, 47*, 0, 5, and 12 – a worrying trend ahead of the final.
But for now, Abhishek’s brilliance overshadowed all else. His innings wasn’t just about runs — it was about seizing the moment, rising above expectation, and delivering when his team needed a hero.
What This Means Going Forward
As India eyes the T20 Asia Cup crown, the emergence of Abhishek Sharma as a reliable, aggressive, and fearless opener could be the defining narrative. With each game, he’s growing not just as a batsman, but as a match-winner – someone who thrives under pressure and rises on the big stage.
From the streets of Amritsar to the grand stage of Dubai, Abhishek Sharma is not just knocking on the doors of greatness – he’s kicked them wide open.