Former India cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra has praised Abhishek Sharma after his stunning start against arch-rivals Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 match on Sunday, September 14. He said that Abhishek changed the game by taking on Pakistan’s strike bowler, Shaheen Afridi, right from the beginning of his innings with a four and a six. Chasing a modest target of 128, he smashed 31 runs off 13 balls at a strike rate of 238.46, comprising two sixes and four boundaries as well.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo’s YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said: “Abhishek Sharma – Outstanding (impact) actually, because he just allows everyone else to be just take your time. You can just stroll; you will still have enough time. That’s what he did. That onslaught in the beginning did two things: one, it took away Shaheen Shah Afridi’s threat… He decided to take him down by ball one itself. So, that was the statement of intent. After that, India were so far ahead in the game by the time he got out.”

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“It’s not, and it should not go that way (should Abhishek Sharma have milked the bowlers to get to his 50) because there is a role for each and every player in the T20 format. And because you have a player like Abhishek at the top of the order and India has been searching for a change in approach and that’s what even Rohit Sharma was trying to do, being the aggressor, giving India the push in the initial overs itself and that’s where I think Abhishek Sharma is made massive impact on the overall fortunes of this Indian team,” he shared again.

Meanwhile, Sanjay Bangar also praised Suryakumar Yadav for his match-winning knock despite facing challenges against spinners in the run chase as well.

“Suryakumar Yadav is a classic example of how he can really score runs square of the wicket when the ball starts to deviate a little bit. And I think that’s the template that this Indian team is following really, really well. So, the skill aspect becomes really critical when things get to such man,” he said.