Abhishek Sharma Lights up SMAT With 18-Ball 50; Takes Down Hardik Pandya During Baroda vs Punjab

SMAT 2025: India's T20 specialist Abhishek Sharma once again showed why he is highly-rated and highly-feared. The Punjab captain went on to smash a breathtaking 18-ball 50 against Baroda in an ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy match on Tuesday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Abhishek's blitz featured five fours and four sixes. In fact, during the game - he took a liking for comeback man Hardik Pandya. Abhishek went hammer and tong from the get-go as he picked up 26 runs of Pandya's first two overs of the game to set the tone. 

He hit a four and a six in the opening over, picking 12 runs off it. 

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No. 1 For a Reason

Unfortunately, he perished just after reaching the milestone. Raj Limbani of Baroda picked up the big fish. The match is not being live streamed and that has irked fans as well. 

Abhishek is truly the No. 1 T20I batter for a reason. In his short career, Abhishek has already built a reputation for himself and he would certainly be India's biggest hope at the upcoming T20 World Cup. 

He has been in maverick form in the ongoing SMAT. In his previous outing versus Bengal, he hammered a surreal 52-ball 148. 

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Punjab Eye Huge Total

At the time of filing the copy, Punjab are on track for a mammoth score. They are 172 for two after 14 overs. Anmolpreet Singh 69 off 32 balls. His fiery knock was laced with four sixes and seven fours. Pandya picked up the wicket of Anmolpreet. He has also been very expensive which will not impress his fans. But yes, the silver lining here is that he has bowled his full quota of overs on return.