India’s dynamic opener Abhishek Sharma is on the brink of rewriting record books as the Men in Blue prepare for a blockbuster Asia Cup final against arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday. The young left-hander has been in scintillating form, drawing attention with his aggressive yet consistent batting approach that has placed him within touching distance of milestones previously set by stalwarts of the T20I format.
Media reports suggest that the management is backing him fully to continue his fearless approach in the final, believing his batting has changed the tempo of India’s starts. Fans, too, are pinning their hopes on Abhishek, who has emerged as one of India’s most impactful players this year.
ALSO READ: India vs Pakistan LIVE SCORE Asia Cup Final
Kohli’s mark in sight
Abhishek has been the standout batter of the Asia Cup, amassing 309 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 204.63. His tally includes three half-centuries, all scored during the Super Four stage, with a top score of 75. With just 11 more runs, he will surpass Virat Kohli’s record for the most runs by an Indian in a multi-nation T20I tournament.
Most runs by an Indian player in a single T20I tournament
| Player | Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | 100 | 50 | Tournament |
| V Kohli | 6 | 6 | 319 | 77 | 0 | 4 | World T20 (in Bangladesh), 2013/14 |
| Abhishek Sharma | 6 | 6 | 309 | 75 | 0 | 3 | Men's T20 Asia Cup (in United Arab Emirates), 2025 |
| V Kohli | 6 | 6 | 296 | 82* | 0 | 4 | ICC Men's T20 World Cup (in Australia), 2022/23 |
| V Kohli | 5 | 5 | 276 | 122* | 1 | 2 | Men's T20 Asia Cup (in UAE), 2022 |
| V Kohli | 5 | 5 | 273 | 89* | 0 | 3 | World T20 (in India), 2015/16 |
| RG Sharma | 8 | 8 | 257 | 92 | 0 | 3 | ICC Men's T20 World Cup (USA/WI), 2024 |
| SA Yadav | 6 | 6 | 239 | 68 | 0 | 3 | ICC Men's T20 World Cup (in Australia), 2022/23 |
| G Gambhir | 7 | 6 | 227 | 75 | 0 | 3 | ICC World Twenty20 (in South Africa), 2007/08 |
| SK Raina | 5 | 5 | 219 | 101 | 1 | 1 | ICC World Twenty20 (in West Indies), 2010 |
| RG Sharma | 6 | 6 | 200 | 62* | 0 | 2 | World T20 (in Bangladesh), 2013/14 |
| SA Yadav | 8 | 8 | 199 | 53 | 0 | 2 | ICC Men's T20 World Cup (USA/WI), 2024 |
| S Dhawan | 5 | 5 | 198 | 90 | 0 | 2 | Nidahas T20 Tri-Series (in Sri Lanka), 2017/18 |
| KL Rahul | 5 | 5 | 194 | 69 | 0 | 3 | ICC Men's T20 World Cup (Oman/UAE), 2021/22 |
| V Kohli | 5 | 5 | 185 | 78* | 0 | 2 | ICC World Twenty20 (in Sri Lanka), 2012/13 |
| RG Sharma | 5 | 5 | 174 | 74 | 0 | 2 | ICC Men's T20 World Cup (Oman/UAE), 2021/22 |
| RG Sharma | 5 | 5 | 173 | 89 | 0 | 2 | Nidahas T20 Tri-Series (in Sri Lanka), 2017/18 |
| RR Pant | 8 | 8 | 171 | 42 | 0 | 0 | ICC Men's T20 World Cup (USA/WI), 2024 |
| MS Dhoni | 7 | 6 | 154 | 45 | 0 | 0 | ICC World Twenty20 (in South Africa), 2007/08 |
Salt’s global record under threat
Beyond national records, Abhishek is also eyeing a global benchmark. England opener Phil Salt set the record for most runs by a batter from a Test-playing nation in a T20I series with 331 against the West Indies in 2023. Abhishek is just 23 runs shy of overtaking Salt’s tally, and a strong outing against Pakistan could see him climb to the very top of that list.
Most runs by a player in a T20I series or tournament
| Player | Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | 100 | 50 |
| PD Salt (ENG) | 5 | 5 | 331 | 119 | 2 | 0 |
| V Kohli (IND) | 6 | 6 | 319 | 77 | 0 | 4 |
| TM Dilshan (SL) | 7 | 7 | 317 | 96* | 0 | 3 |
| Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) | 6 | 6 | 316 | 88* | 0 | 4 |
| Abhishek Sharma (IND) | 6 | 6 | 309 | 75 | 0 | 3 |
| AJ Finch (AUS) | 5 | 5 | 306 | 172 | 1 | 1 |
| Babar Azam (PAK) | 6 | 6 | 303 | 70 | 0 | 4 |
Consistency in rare company
The opener has matched Rohit Sharma and Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan for the record of most consecutive 30-plus scores in T20Is, with seven such innings in a row. A similar effort on Sunday would see him outpace two of the modern game’s most reliable run-scorers.
A breakout year for India’s new star
In 2025, Abhishek has been India’s most prolific T20I batter, scoring 588 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of over 211. Across his short career of 23 matches, he has already produced two centuries and five fifties, with a highest score of 135. His rapid rise, many believe, has not only strengthened India’s top order but has also set a new template for batting in the shortest format.