Team India forward Abhishek Sharma was meant to be the Men in Blue’s X-factor for T20 World Cup 2026. He was in sublime touch with the bat leading up to the ICC event. Such were the expectations from the southpaw that many critics had predicted him to end up as the leading run-getter heading into the tournament. But the narrative that has unfolded has been one of total contrariness.
In the T20 World Cup 2026, Abhishek has scored just 15 runs in four innings at a meagre average of 3.75 and a strike rate of 75 In the ICC event itself, he has hit two fours and a six. The left-handed batter kick-started his T20 World Cup campaign with three back to back ducks. While he opened account in first Super 8 for India against South Africa, but was out for only 15 runs off 12 balls.
It will be a crucial encounter for Abhishek Sharma as he looks to find form in India’s second Super 8 match against Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday, February 26. Before the match, here are five lower order batters who have scored more runs than the Indian opener in T20 World Cup 2026 till date.
1. Brad Evans (Zimbabwe) – 43 runs
Zimbabwe seamer and lower order batter made a bat for the first time in T20 World Cup 2026, in Group 1 Super 8 match against West Indies at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Despite Zimbabwe collapsing to 255, Evans had made a good fist of it — smashing 43 from just 21 balls. Batting at No. 8, Evans struck two fours and five sixes.
The Zimbabwe batter was heading towards a half-century and was caught at short third man off Matthew Forde’s bowling. Evans was the last man out with Zimbabwe dismissed for 147 in 17.4 overs. The 28-year-old has featured in 29 matches of his T20I career where he has managed to score only 131 runs at a strike rate of 119.09.
2. Sompal Kami (Nepal) – 26 runs
Nepal right-arm pacer Sompal Kami made 26 off 15 balls not out against the West Indies at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, in a T20 World Cup 2026 Group C match. Batting first, Nepal made 133-8. Batting at No. 8, he hit four fours in an innings useful for about half an hour.
Kami (30) has played a total of 88 T20I matches. In 52 innings, he has racked up 391 runs at a average of 11.50 and a strike rate of 114.32, with a best of 40
3. Noah Croes (Netherlands) – 25 runs
Noah Croes of the Netherlands played the T20 World Cup 2026 Group A match against India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. That was the game in which at the other end, off-spinner Aryan Dutt was cleaned up Abhishek for a three-ball duck. India eventually finished on a high, reaching 193/6 in 20 overs. In response, the Dutch came very close, posting a high of 176/7. There were useful efforts all around. Croes came in at number-8 and struck an unbeaten 25 from 12 balls. His 25 included five fours. Croes has played 21 matches in the format, scoring 228 runs at an average of 22.80 and strike-rate 131.79.
4. Nadeem Khan (Oman) – 22 runs
Nadeem Khan, a left-arm spinner, featured in three matches at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Overall, he scored 22 runs at a strike rate of 95.65 and an average of 7.33. In particular, his best performance came against the Zimbabwe national cricket team at R. Premadasa Stadium, where he made 20 runs off 18 balls while batting at number nine. During that innings, he struck a four and a six, thereby showing his ability to contribute useful lower-order runs.
However, his other outings in the tournament were less productive. For example, he managed just two runs against the Sri Lanka national cricket team in Pallekele, and he was dismissed for a duck against the Ireland cricket team at the same Colombo venue. Furthermore, across 11 T20 Internationals, he has batted in five innings and scored 84 runs at an average of 16.80 with a strike rate of 123.52. Notably, his highest score in the format remains an unbeaten 30*.
5. Oliver Davidson (Scotland) – 21 runs
The T20 World Cup 2026 was also another tournament in which Scotland bowling all-rounder Oliver Davidson first featured in a T20I, where he featured in four matches. The left-arm spinner has made 21 runs in four matches (three innings) with a strike rate of 123.52. Battering at No. 9, he scored two fours and a six in his cameo.
