Cuttack, December 9: Explosive opener Abhishek Sharma is 181 runs away from carving his name in T20I history—topping the run charts in 2025 among Full-Member nations. The 24-year-old left-hander’s impressive 756 runs in 17 innings (SR 196.36, Avg 47.3, 1 century, 5 fifties) puts him fourth overall, but Zimbabwe’s Brian Bennett (936 in 25 innings) cannot add any more runs—his 2025 schedule is over. With Pakistan and Bangladesh also out, the five-match SA series (December 9-19) is Abhishek’s chance to create history.
After a stellar performance at Syed Mushtaq Ali (304 runs in 6 innings, SR 249.18), the Delhi player is looking to deliver a similar performance on the new red clay pitch of the Barabati Stadium. Expect bounce, grass and plenty of boundaries (65-70m straight boundaries)—a high-scoring ground like Wankhede, although dew could affect the chase. India have lost both the previous T20Is against SA here (2015, 2022), but the defending WC champions are on a 26-4 streak since their 2024 win. Captain Suryakumar Yadav: “World Cup preparations begin now—10 games to solidify roles.”
Special Pair: Shubman Gill (returning from injury) will open with Abhishek; Hardik Pandya’s all-round performance (after injury, brilliant in the nets) gives balance to the team. SA is rebuilding the team without the retired Heinrich Klaasen (a poor 9-16 T20I performance), with the captaincy of Aiden Markram, the experience of David Miller and the pace bowling of Anrich Nortje (absent in the WC final). Main question: Will Markram play at number 3 or as an opener? How will George Linde’s spin bowling be?
The cloudy weather (14-27°C, no rain) makes for an exciting match—a score of 160-180 in the first innings would be considered good, but Abhishek’s six-hitting ability (66 sixes in 28 T20Is) could break it. As India prepare for their home match in 2026, Sharma’s chase is not just a statistic—it’s a statement. Just one boundary away from becoming immortal, this player who scored the fastest 1000 runs (in terms of balls) in T20I can become the king in 2025. Lights are on, records are waiting.
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