Is Abhishek Sharma's batting form a cause for concern ahead of the T20 World Cup semi-final? Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan thinks so, after the right-handed batter struggled against the West Indies, managing just 10 runs off 11 balls. While Sharma had previously impressed with a half-century against Zimbabwe, Pathan believes technical adjustments are needed. He explains, 'After scoring that fifty, it felt like he would continue making runs, but when he went for that shot, his back knee was bent too much, and his body weight was falling backwards. Ideally, more weight should have been on the front foot, as that suits him better. He will need to pay attention to that.'
The West Indies, meanwhile, had a strong start with Roston Chase and Shai Hope, putting together a 68-run opening partnership. However, the visitors slumped to 119/4 in 14.1 overs, despite a fiery cameo from Shimron Hetmyer. Jason Holder and Nicholas Pooran revived the innings with a 76-run stand, helping the West Indies post a total of 195/4 in 20 overs. India's bowling attack was led by Jasprit Bumrah, while Varun Chakaravarthy and Hardik Pandya conceded 40 runs each in their four-over spells.
India's chase got off to a rocky start, slipping to 41/2 in the powerplay. A 58-run stand between Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav steadied the innings, before contributions from Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, and Shivam Dube guided India to a five-wicket victory. Speaking about Suryakumar Yadav, Pathan highlighted the need for the batter to convert starts into big innings, saying, 'Suryakumar will need to score runs against bigger teams, and that is something he must keep in mind.'
India now faces England in the semi-finals at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on Thursday. Will Sharma's form be a concern for the team? And will India be able to overcome the West Indies' strong start? These are the questions that remain to be answered as the tournament progresses. But here's where it gets controversial... Pathan's comments about Sharma's form have sparked debate among cricket fans. Some believe that Sharma's technical adjustments are necessary, while others think that he should be given more time to find his form. So, what do you think? Do you agree with Pathan's assessment, or do you think that Sharma should be given more leeway? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
