Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has stirred debate ahead of the India-Pakistan clash at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, claiming that India opener Abhishek Sharma is “just a slogger” who can be contained with basic bowling plans.
Speaking on a Pakistani television show, Amir said Abhishek relies heavily on power-hitting and lacks technical solidity. His remarks come only days before the high-voltage group-stage encounter between India and Pakistan on February 15.
Abhishek, who is reportedly unwell and could be doubtful for the match, heads into the tournament as the top-ranked T20I batter in the world. Over the past couple of years, he has built a reputation for explosive batting, scoring 1,297 runs at a staggering strike rate of 200.
Despite those numbers, Amir remained unimpressed. He suggested that Abhishek’s aggressive style often leads to inconsistency.
“Abhishek Sharma is a slogger. He tries to hit every ball. If it comes off, it looks good, but otherwise the chances of failure are high. He scores big once in several innings, but in the others he gets 10, 15 or 20. He just stands and swings. He’s not technically strong — that’s my view,” Amir said.
The former left-arm pacer even outlined a strategy to dismiss him in the Colombo fixture. According to Amir, bowlers should keep a deep cover in place, target the body line and mix in slower deliveries to disrupt his rhythm.
Abhishek, however, has previously acknowledged that bowlers frequently use variations against him. During India’s T20I series against the New Zealand national cricket team in the lead-up to the World Cup, he said he had been working specifically on handling slower balls and lack of pace.
“In the World Cup, I know bowlers won’t give me much pace,” Abhishek had said. “I’ve realised that recently, so I’ve been preparing for those situations. If you want to play this brand of cricket, you have to keep adapting and practising for it.”
With tensions building ahead of the marquee clash, Amir’s comments have only added extra spice to what is already one of the most anticipated fixtures of the tournament.