Shoaib Akhtar Lauds Abhishek Sharma: India's Rising T20I Star

India's Abhishek Sharma has impressed former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar with his blistering performance in T20Is, including a record-breaking knock of 135 runs. Akhtar praises Sharma as a 'rising star' and urges him to continue breaking records. Abhishek's stellar performance marks a new era under Gautam Gambhir's leadership.

India's dynamic T20I opener Abhishek Sharma has earned high praise from legendary Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar, famously known as the 'Rawalpindi Express'. Akhtar expressed his hopes that the young batsman's form continues, encouraging him to break records in the process. Sharma, who debuted with a duck against Zimbabwe, has since made a remarkable impact in the T20I arena.

After Gautam Gambhir took charge as head coach, he brought fresh talent into the Indian squad, including Abhishek. The young batsman has delivered electrifying performances, particularly in the recent series, catching the attention of Akhtar, who met him in Dubai. Akhtar labeled Sharma as a "rising star" for India and praised his recent century, a blistering 135-run knock.

In the fifth T20I in Mumbai, Sharma's 135 off 54 balls shattered records, becoming the highest individual innings by an Indian male player in the format. He finished the series as the top run-scorer, amassing 279 runs with an average of 55.80, as well as a strike rate of 219.68. Additionally, Sharma achieved the rare feat of scoring a century and taking multiple wickets in a T20I match.