Cricket News / T20 WC: Morkel Confident Abhishek Sharma Will Bounce Back
Key Points
- Abhishek Sharma has recorded three consecutive ducks in T20 World Cup 2026.
- Morne Morkel expressed full confidence in the opener’s ability to deliver.
- Team management has not discussed dropping Abhishek despite his lean patch.
- India face South Africa in their first Super 8 clash at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.
Ahmedabad, Feb 20: India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has expressed strong faith in opener Abhishek Sharma, who is enduring a lean patch in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026, as India gear up for their first Super 8 clash against the South Africa national cricket team at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
The world No. 1 T20I batter is yet to open his account in the tournament. Abhishek began his campaign with a golden duck against the United States, followed by early dismissals against Pakistan and the Netherlands. On each occasion, he fell within the first two overs while attempting aggressive strokes before settling in.
The sequence has placed Abhishek alongside Ashish Nehra for the most ducks by an Indian in T20 World Cup history, highlighting a rare slump for one of India’s most explosive batters.
Despite the poor run, Morkel made it clear that the team
management is not concerned about Abhishek’s form and that there have been no
discussions regarding his place in the side. He added that the left-hander has
been working hard in the nets and is striking the ball well ahead of the
crucial encounter.
Also Read: T20 WC: Zimbabwe Enter Super 8s Undefeated After Six-Wicket Win Over Sri Lanka
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✨“Absolutely no discussion in our team group about that. Abhishek is a world-class player. So far in the tournament, fortunately, there have been guys stepping up while Abhishek hasn’t been able to score the runs he would like,” Morkel said at the pre-match press conference.
“But we are entering a very important phase of the World Cup now, and I’m pretty sure he’s going to deliver, not just for the team, but also for the viewers watching the game, because he’s entertaining and we love to see that. He’s hitting the ball well in the nets; it’s just about getting started and building his innings,” he added.
Abhishek has featured in eight matches against South Africa, scoring 200 runs against the Proteas, including one half-century against the 2024 World Cup runners-up.
--IANS
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