India vs New Zealand Final, ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Abhishek Sharma hasn't been at his best in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026, and India might have to consider his poor batting form ahead of their final against New Zealand, which is scheduled to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 8.
While India clinched a thrilling 7-run win over England in the second semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium, Abhishek registered yet another low score, managing just 9 runs in 7 balls in the high-scoring contest. The star opener has scored just 89 runs in 7 innings in the tournament so far, and amid the heavy criticism, there are already calls from fans and experts to drop him for the summit clash.
Abhishek, who is the no.1 T20I batter in the world, headed into the tournament with a reputation as a seriously attacking batter. He registered three 0s in his first three T20 WC matches. Apart from a fifty against Zimbabwe, the left-handed batter Abhishek hasn't looked convincing as he continues to fall prey to the plans made by the opponents for him. He entered the knockout on the back of a slow, underwhelming knock against the West Indies in the Super 8s at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. In the semifinal, he managed two boundaries off Will Jacks’ opening over but was soon outplayed by the England bowler.
India face a major selection dilemma ahead of the final. Ishan Kishan is batting out of position to accommodate the preferred top-order pairing of Abhishek and Sanju Samson. On the other hand, India now have a chance to create history as they aim to defend their title by lifting the T20 WC trophy for the record third time.
Why India Might Not Drop Abhishek Sharma For Final Against New Zealand Despite His Poor Form?
Abhishek Sharma has been one of India's consistent performers over the past couple of years. He has played 45 T20I matches for India so far, having scored 1386 runs at an average of 33 on the back of nine fifties and two sixes. India might not drop Abhishek for the final against New Zealand, as they will be opting to continue with the 'X Factor' of a left-handed batter who has the potential of changing the game completely when he gets going.
The 25-year-old has the potential to play marathon innings, and his presence will keep a threat in the minds of the New Zealand bowlers. While all the pressure is expected to remain on Abhishek, the rest of the batters will have a chance to come up with special performances.
The other main issue with Abhishek's absence will be the fact that India might have to shuffle the rest of the batting order as well. Rinku Singh will likely replace him if he sits out, which means Kishan, who has been in great touch, will be asked to bat up the order once again. Shuffling of the entire batting order might not be a great option in a big game like the T20 WC final.
Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh said that he believes that Abhishek would not be benched for the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand, adding that the summit showdown would be the latter’s moment to come out of the shell and play a big knock.
"I don’t think he (Abhishek) will be benched by the team, and even I don’t think he should sit out either. Because this is the time to back a player. Yes, we accept that he hasn’t done much so far, and he hasn’t met the expectations," Harbhajan said while speaking on his YouTube channel.
"But how is he (Abhishek) going to come out of the shell now? He can only do that when he plays. If you bench him, his heart will sink," Harbhajan said.
IND vs NZ Squads, ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Final
India Squad: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy
New Zealand Squad: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (C), Cole McConchie, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Kyle Jamieson, Devon Conway