Pakistan Captain Hopes Abhishek Sharma Plays: "We Want to Face India at Full Strength"
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has expressed hope that India opener Abhishek Sharma will be fit for their highly anticipated ICC T20 World Cup clash, saying his side wants to face India at full strength.
Abhishek missed India's fixture against Namibia in Delhi after being hospitalised with a stomach infection, following a golden duck against the USA in the tournament opener.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Agha said: "I really hope - we all know he is a good player, and I really hope he plays tomorrow because we want to play against the best team they have, and I really hope he is recovering well and can play tomorrow."
The comment reflects the sporting spirit ahead of cricket's most-watched rivalry.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav responded with humor when asked about Agha's remarks: "If the Pakistan cricket team's captain wants him to play, will play him tomorrow."
The left-handed opener came into the World Cup as the world's top-ranked T20I batter:
Statistic | Record |
Matches | 38 |
Runs | 1,297 |
Average | 37.05 |
Strike Rate | 194.74 |
Centuries | 2 |
Fifties | 8 |
Highest Score | 135 |
Against Pakistan: 3 matches, 110 runs, average 36.66, strike rate 189.65, best of 74.
India will take on Pakistan on February 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Abhishek's availability could significantly impact India's batting firepower in the marquee encounter.
