India’s explosive opener Abhishek Sharma has opened up about his aspirations to represent the Men in Blue in the T20 World Cup 2026, calling it a dream he is determined to turn into reality. The recently concluded five-match T20I series against Australia ended 2-1 in India’s favor, after the final match in Brisbane was abandoned due to persistent rain. Throughout the series, Abhishek was one of India’s standout performers and was rightly named the Player of the Series for scoring 163 runs across five matches.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Abhishek expressed how excited he had been for this tour, especially because of the batting-friendly conditions in Australia.
“I’ve been waiting for this tournament. When I got to know we’re going to Australia for T20Is, I was very excited. Have seen throughout my career that Australia is very batting friendly. Feel that we could’ve got better totals in between,” Abhishek said after the match.
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Dream of T20 World Cup 2026
Looking ahead to the T20 World Cup, which is only three months away, Abhishek described the prospect of being selected in the squad as deeply personal and emotional.
“T20 WC is one of the biggest tournaments, it’ll be a dream-come-true moment if and when I get to play there. I’ll make sure I’ll be ready for it,” he added.
Praise for Josh Hazlewood
The 25-year-old also highlighted the challenge and learning experience of facing Australia’s seasoned pacer Josh Hazlewood, who missed the final three T20Is to focus on Ashes preparation.
“The way he (Hazlewood) was bowling, it was beneficial for any team. I’ve said before that I always enjoy the battle between batters and bowlers. He’s a world class bowler. If you want to play good cricket and do well in the future, you have to face world class bowlers. I was practicing for these kind of bowlers only because that’s how you’re going to do well for your team,” Abhishek stated.
Achieves Major Milestone
Abhishek also carved his name into the record books by becoming the fastest to reach 1,000 runs in T20 Internationals, accomplishing the feat in just 29 innings when he reached 11 runs during the fifth T20I at the Gabba.
Abhishek Sharma, who was named Player of the Series after scoring 163 runs across the five T20Is, also praised Gill’s approach and familiarity.
“It’s just fire and fire. Look at the way he was playing today. We have been playing together since the U-12 days, so there is a good understanding. I know what shots he’s looking to play and which bowler he’s targeting. He is also aware of my game, and he helps me in what sort of shots I should look to play,” Abhishek said.
With the Australia series now complete, Abhishek will turn his attention towards India’s upcoming T20I series against South Africa, beginning December 9.
