Abhishek Sharma smashes seven sixes as India starts strong against Pakistan in Asian Games 2026 gold medal match
Quick Look
- Abhishek Sharma scored 61 off 28 balls with seven sixes as India opted to bat first against Pakistan in the Asian Games 2026 gold medal match at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
- His innings equaled Yuvraj Singh's record for most sixes in an India-Pakistan T20I innings and contributed to India's record powerplay score of 81/2.
- Sharma also extended his T20 six-hitting records for 2026 and career milestones.
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Why It Matters
Abhishek Sharma had already set the T20 six-hitting record for a calendar year with 108 sixes in 2025 and was approaching milestones in 2026. The match was the gold medal contest of the Asian Games 2026 between India and Pakistan, a high-profile rivalry.
Abhishek Sharma (Image credit: Reuters)
NEW DELHI: Abhishek Sharma produced another attacking innings as India made a strong start against Pakistan in the gold medal match of the Asian Games 2026 at the Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday. India opted to bat first after winning the toss, and Abhishek gave the team the perfect start. The left-hander smashed a quick 61 off 28 balls, hitting seven sixes and giving India early momentum in the high-profile final.
Abhishek equals Yuvraj's six-hitting record
Abhishek's seven sixes put him joint-top for the most sixes by an Indian batter in an India-Pakistan T20I innings.Most sixes in an innings in India-Pakistan T20Is:
7 - Yuvraj Singh, Ahmedabad, 2012
7 - Abhishek Sharma, Aichi-Nagoya, 2026
5 - Abhishek Sharma, Dubai, 2025
Abhishek had also hit five sixes against Pakistan in the Asia Cup in Dubai in 2025.
Abhishek leads India's six-hitting charts
The 2026 innings also added to Abhishek's remarkable six-hitting record in T20 cricket. He has now hit 104 sixes in T20 cricket in 2026, the most by an Indian batter in a calendar year.
Most sixes by an Indian batter in T20s in a calendar year:
108 - Abhishek Sharma, 2025
104 - Abhishek Sharma, 2026
90 - Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 2026
87 - Abhishek Sharma, 2024
85 - Suryakumar Yadav, 2022
Abhishek had already set the record with 108 sixes in 2025. His 104 sixes in 2026 have taken him past Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has hit 90 sixes this year.
India's best powerplay against Pakistan
India also made a new record during the powerplay. The team scored 81/2 in the first six overs, its highest powerplay score against Pakistan in T20Is. India's previous best was 69/0, scored in the Super Fours match of the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai. Abhishek was the star of that powerplay too. He scored 50 off 24 balls in that match, which was India's fastest fifty against Pakistan in T20Is at the time.
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Abhishek reaches 100 sixes faster than most
Abhishek's six-hitting numbers are even more impressive when measured by the number of balls he has faced. He needed 651 balls to hit 100 sixes in T20 cricket in 2026. That is the second-fastest mark for reaching 100 sixes in a calendar year.
Fewest balls to hit 100 T20 sixes in a calendar year:
589 balls - Andre Russell, 2019
651 balls - Abhishek Sharma, 2026
653 balls - Dewald Brevis, 2025
724 balls - Chris Gayle, 2016
728 balls - Karanbir Singh, 2025
Abhishek's 651 balls are only two balls fewer than Brevis' 653, while Russell remains the fastest on the list with 589 balls.
Among the fastest to 400 T20 sixes
Abhishek has also reached the milestone of 400 sixes in T20 cricket faster than several big names in the format. He took 3,513 balls to reach 400 sixes, making him the second-fastest player on the list.
Fewest balls to hit 400 T20 sixes:
3,027 - Andre Russell
3,513 - Abhishek Sharma
3,557 - Chris Gayle
3,803 - Tim David
3,944 - Kieron Pollard
4,045 - Nicholas Pooran
4,072 - Evin Lewis
End of Article
Open Questions
- What was the final result of the Asian Games 2026 gold medal match between India and Pakistan?
- How did the rest of India's innings perform after Abhishek Sharma's start?
- What was Pakistan's response in their innings?