From firestarter to three straight ducks: Abhishek Sharma's sudden slide at World Cup

India opener Abhishek Sharma’s lean run with the bat continued as he was dismissed for a third consecutive duck in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup game against Netherlands, deepening concerns over the youngster’s form at the top of the order.

The left-hander, who entered the tournament as one of India’s most explosive powerplay hitters, has struggled to get going, falling early in all three innings so far. His latest dismissal once again put early pressure on India’s batting lineup, forcing the middle order to rebuild.

Despite his recent slump, team management has indicated faith in the opener’s aggressive approach, viewing his intent as crucial to India’s strategy in the shortest format. However, with the tournament entering a decisive phase, scrutiny over his place in the XI is likely to intensify if the run drought persists.

Sharma, who has now five ducks as an opener, has the second-most alongside Chaloemwong Chatphaisan (Thailand, 2024), Kushal Bhurtel (Nepal, 2024), Dharma Kesuma (Indonesia, 2025) and Parvez Hossain Emon (Bangladesh, 2025) -- all with five ducks apiece.

Before the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup, Abhishek Sharma had been one of India’s most exciting T20 prospects. The attacking left-hander earned his spot at the top after a string of explosive knocks in the lead-up bilateral series and franchise leagues, where his fearless powerplay hitting and high strike rate made him a natural fit for India’s aggressive T20 blueprint. Selectors viewed him as a long-term opener who could maximise field restrictions and set the tempo early.

That strong pre-tournament momentum, however, has sharply contrasted with his World Cup returns. His three successive ducks mark a rare slump for a batter known for quick starts, and they have disrupted India’s preferred fast-scoring openings.

India were at 51 with the loss of two wickets when the powerplay ended.

India, however, have cruised into the next step of the tournament, thanks to contributions from the middle order and a disciplined bowling unit, which has helped offset Abhishek's poor form. The team’s balance — explosive finishers, spin depth and death-over specialists — have kept them firmly in contention, but stable starts at the top remain a key area they will want to fix heading into the knockout phase.