New Delhi: Abhishek Sharma Little did he expect that the 2026 T20 World Cup would start the way he planned, dreamed and desired. The swashbuckling opener, known for his hard hitting and high strike rate, who battered bowlers all over the park, endured a nightmare start to the match. Abhishek was dropped from India’s opening match against the United States but failed to score again in the next game against arch-rivals Pakistan.Push boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!In the third match against the Netherlands, the team management gave him another chance, but Abhishek suffered the same fate – losing for the third time in a row.
Disappointment, lack of confidence and desire to score runs were clearly visible on Abhishek’s face. Captain at that time Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir Step in and support this young man during a difficult time.Abhishek has now revealed the radical advice he got from Gambhir and Surya during the darkest phase of the recently concluded 2026 T20 World Cup.Speaking at the India Today Conclave, Abhishek admitted that he was close to an emotional breakdown after playing in his second consecutive tournament.“Slowly you get used to it. But it does feel bad (when there is criticism). This happens in India because people expect a lot from you. After I got three ducks, Surya, GG sir and Hardik Pandya Come over to me and say, “Take your phone and stop social media immediately.” [take your phone and uninstall social media right now]’,” said Abhishek. “That was the first thing I did after the second zero. It actually helped me a little bit. I got a lot of advice and comments from people. That’s the life of a cricketer. You have to listen and you’re going to get criticized. All you can do is listen and ignore. That’s because they expect a lot from you. Sometimes you can do it, sometimes you can’t. I expected that.”After scoring three consecutive runs, Abhishek finally returned to the game with 15 runs against South Africa. He quickly found his rhythm, scoring 55 against Zimbabwe and looking close to his fluent best.However, he once again struggled against England, scoring just nine runs.All eyes were on him in the title race. However, this time, Abhishek has other plans. He demolished the New Zealand bowlers in the final, scoring a stunning 52 off just 21 balls and partnered with Sanju Samson for an opening score of 98 to give India a solid foundation.India posted a mammoth score of 255/5 in the allotted 20 overs before beating New Zealand by 159 runs to win the 2026 T20 World Cup.This is India’s third T20 World Cup title, having previously lifted the trophy in 2007 and 2024.
