The high-voltage T20 World Cup clash between India and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium got off to a dramatic start, but for the wrong reasons for young Indian opener Abhishek Sharma. After much pre-match hype and a battle of words between former legends, Sharma’s tournament struggles continued as he fell for a four-ball duck, leaving former captain Rohit Sharma visibly distraught in the stands.

A Tactical Masterstroke by Salman Agha

In a surprising tactical move, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha opted to open the bowling himself. This decision proved to be a masterstroke. In his second over, Agha delivered a flat ball that slid into the stumps. Abhishek Sharma, looking to impose himself, attempted a pull shot on a delivery that wasn’t quite short enough. The ball caught the splice of the bat, laving it with no power, and looped comfortably to Shaheen Afridi at mid-on.

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The dismissal was a massive personal blow for Abhishek, who had already recorded a duck in the opening game of the tournament against the USA. After Salman Agha had publicly challenged India to play Abhishek in the pre-match press conference, the Pakistan captain punctuated his victory by pointing toward his teammates in celebration, having personally removed the man he dared India to pick.

Rohit Sharma’s Heartbroken Reaction

While the Pakistan camp celebrated, the cameras immediately panned to the VIP area where former captain and tournament ambassador Rohit Sharma was seated. Having traveled to Colombo following a viral airport departure from Mumbai, Rohit’s reaction spoke volumes. The “Hitman” was seen looking visibly angry and frustrated, covering his face in disbelief as the young opener walked back to the pavilion. For fans, the sight of a legendary opener watching his successor struggle was a poignant moment of “cricketing heartbreak.”

 

That reaction from Rohit Sharma after Abhishek Sharma’s wicket… #INDvsPAK #INDvPAKWatchlist #IndvPakOnJioHotstar #T20WorldCup2026 #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/8EEFwp5B9k
— Rakeshchandra Yadav  (@rakeshchandray2) February 15, 2026

The “Duck” Legacy

Abhishek Sharma now joins an elite but unwanted list of Indian openers who have been dismissed for a duck in T20 World Cup encounters against Pakistan.

Gautam Gambhir (2007)

Gautam Gambhir (2012)

Rohit Sharma (2021)

Abhishek Sharma (2026)

Despite the early setback, India managed to recover quickly through the blade of Ishan Kishan. By the end of the powerplay, India reached 52/1, with Kishan blasting a rapid 42 off 25 balls to keep the run rate at a healthy 8.67. Tilak Varma joined the wicketkeeper at the crease, ensuring that while the “out of syllabus” question of the opening wicket stumped India, the innings remained very much on track.

Playing 11

India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah

Pakistan (Playing XI): Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha(c), Babar Azam, Mohammad Nawaz, Usman Khan(w), Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq