Abhishek Sharma for India - (Source: AP)
India completed a dominant 3-0 T20I series win over Zimbabwe under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer. The visitors performed well in all three games, winning the opening game by seven wickets before securing a 90-run victory in the second T20I and a 35-run win in the final match at the Harare Sports Club.
But one player in the IND vs ZIM T20I series who was in the limelight because of poor form was Indian opener Abhishek Sharma.
The left-handed batter could not make an impact across the three matches and later shared an emotional message on social media after the IND vs ZIM 3rd T20I.
Abhishek Sharma Breaks Silence On His Poor Performance In IND vs ZIM T20I Series
Abhishek Sharma endured one of the toughest T20I series of his career against Zimbabwe. The aggressive opener managed only 11 runs in three innings at an average of 3.67 and a strike rate of 55.00.
However, despite his struggles with the bat, he made an important contribution with the ball during the second T20I. The left-arm spinner picked up three wickets for just 17 runs in 2.5 overs, producing the best T20I bowling figures by an Indian opener.
In the 1st T20I, Abhishek scored just one run and did not bowl. In the second game, he scored eight runs before changing the match with his bowling performance. In the third T20I, he managed only two runs and finished with figures of 0/18 in two overs.
After the IND vs ZIM T20I series ended, Abhishek posted an emotional message on Instagram. He admitted that it was painful when he could not perform according to the expectations of fans.
Also Read: “Muzarabani Owns Abhishek Sharma”: Fans Troll India Opener For Flop Show Vs Zimbabwe
Check Abhishek Sharma's Instagram Post
It hurts when you can’t give back what so many people believe you’re capable of. But this game always rewards those who keep showing up. Happy that the team got the win. Will be back stronger 🇮🇳 @abhisheksharma_4
Abhishek Sharma Creates Shambolic Record
It is important to mention that Abhishek created an unwanted record in the IND vs ZIM T20I series. The 25-year-old batter made only 11 runs, the fewest scored by an Indian player in a three-match T20I series.
The previous lowest totals included Shreyas Iyer’s 14 runs against the West Indies in 2019, Hardik Pandya’s 15 runs against New Zealand in 2017, KL Rahul’s 15 runs against England in 2021 and Dinesh Karthik’s 17 runs against Australia in 2022.
Least Runs By an Indian In 3-match T20I Series (Top 7 Batters)
- 11 runs - 𝗔𝗯𝗵𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗸 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮 v ZIM (2026)*
- 14 runs - Shreyas Iyer v WI (2019)
- 15 runs - Hardik Pandya v NZ (2017)
- 15 runs - KL Rahul v ENG (2021)
- 17 runs - Dinesh Karthik v AUS (2022)
Taking a look at his T20I numbers in 2026, the star player played 23 matches and made 514 runs at an average of 23.36 and a strike rate of 185.56.
Why Did Abhishek Sharma Struggle In IND vs ZIM T20I Series?
One of the biggest reasons behind Abhishek's poor batting display was Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani. The tall pacer used the extra bounce available to trouble the Indian batter in every match.
Muzarabani dismissed Abhishek in all three T20Is and has now removed him four times in only 24 balls in T20I cricket.
Also Read: Who Will Replace Jasprit Bumrah If He Is Ruled Out Of India vs Sri Lanka Tests?
