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Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has delivered a blunt assessment of India’s explosive opener Abhishek Sharma ahead of the much-anticipated clash between the arch-rivals in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Sunday.
Speaking during a local TV show, Amir offered an unfiltered critique of the left-hander’s batting approach, questioning both his technique and consistency at the highest level.
“From what I’ve seen, if I’m being completely honest, he looks like a slogger to me,” Amir said. “He tries to hit every ball. If it connects, it connects, but most of the time the chances of failure are higher.”
The former left-arm pacer pointed to the high-risk nature of Sharma’s game, highlighting fluctuating returns with the bat.
“You must have noticed that he might play eight innings and score in only one of them, while in the others he gets 10, 15, 0, 20,” he said.
“The way he swings the bat, there doesn’t seem to be much technique; it’s more like, ‘Just give me the ball, and I’ll swing.’ Technically, I haven’t found him very sound.”
Mohammad Amir, however, acknowledged the danger Sharma poses on his day.
“When it comes off, it really comes off, and he can hurt any team,” he said, while noting that the batter still appears vulnerable against quality variations, particularly slower deliveries and subtle swing.
He added that he would consider Sharma a complete batter only when he consistently handles movement and demonstrates stronger technical control.
Despite the criticism, Sharma’s numbers in T20 internationals remain impressive.
The explosive opener has scored 1,297 runs in 39 matches at a remarkable strike rate of 194.95, including two centuries and eight half-centuries.
Against Pakistan, he has accumulated 110 runs in three games at a strike rate close to 190, registering one fifty.
However, his impact in the ongoing tournament has been limited. Sharma was dismissed for a first-ball duck against the USA and missed the Namibia fixture due to illness, leaving his availability for the Pakistan encounter uncertain.
READ: Will Abhishek Sharma be available for India-Pakistan clash?
