T20 World Cup 2026: Abhishek Sharma's dismissal explained in the IND vs NED match
Abhishek Sharma’s struggles with the bat in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 deepened on Wednesday, February 18, as he recorded his third successive duck of the tournament. The left-handed opener endured another disappointing outing, this time falling to Netherlands off-spinner Aryan Dutt at the . What was expected to be an opportunity for redemption instead turned into yet another setback in an increasingly difficult campaign. Looking to break free from his lean patch, Abhishek attempted an aggressive pull shot through the mid-wicket region. However, he misread the length of the delivery. The ball was not short enough to warrant the stroke, and his premature shot selection proved costly.
3 consecutive ducks for Abhishek Sharma in the T20 World Cup 2026
As Abhishek Sharma committed to the pull, the delivery skidded through at a lower trajectory, sneaking under his bat and crashing into the stumps. The dismissal not only compounded his personal woes but also raised concerns about his approach at the top of the order. With pressure mounting and the tournament entering a crucial phase, Abhishek will be eager to regroup quickly and rediscover the form that made him such a promising prospect in the first place. Former India opener Virender Sehwag observed that the delivery which dismissed Abhishek Sharma was certainly within scoring range, but stressed that execution and timing make all the difference at the highest level.
Drawing from personal experience, Sehwag said he could relate to what the young batter might be going through, recalling phases in his own career when he was dismissed for ducks in consecutive innings. He explained that such lean patches can play on a batter’s mind, often leading to rushed decisions in an attempt to break the cycle quickly. Sehwag advised Abhishek to resist the urge to dominate from the very first ball and instead focus on spending a few deliveries at the crease to regain rhythm and confidence. According to him, allowing oneself a brief settling period can help reset the mind, improve shot selection, and ultimately lay the foundation for a more substantial and impactful innings.
"It was a ball to be hit, but he missed it. I have been in his shoes, making 2-3 zeroes, but making a comeback is not that difficult because it is just about the mindset. It is about shot selection, which is where he is making a mistake. The expectations from him are to score right away, and he may make a mistake. But he should play some balls while he is not scoring runs, try to play some balls," stated former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag.
Meanwhile, former India fast bowler Mohit Sharma expressed the view that either Suryakumar Yadav or Tilak Varma should have taken greater responsibility to accelerate the scoring during the middle phase of India’s innings. He pointed out that with wickets in hand and a platform to build upon, at least one of the two batters needed to shift gears and inject momentum into the innings. The duo, who are teammates at Mumbai Indians in franchise cricket, stitched together a 30-run partnership that came off 28 deliveries.
While the stand offered brief stability after early setbacks, Mohit felt it lacked the intent required in the T20 format, particularly during a stage where the batting side must look to capitalize and push the scoring rate upward. According to him, in modern T20 cricket, consolidating alone is rarely enough. One batter often needs to anchor the innings, while the other assumes the aggressor’s role to keep pressure on the bowling side. Mohit suggested that a more proactive approach from either Suryakumar or Tilak could have helped India post a more imposing total and seize control of the contest.
"You cannot be batting with the same strike rate all the time. Someone in the partnership has to decide when and how to counter. That is very important," former Indian pacer Mohit Sharma said.
