Abhishek Sharma is India’s second-highest run-scorer in T20I cricket in 2026 with 1125 runs in 37 matches ahead of 4th game against New Zealand in Auckland.
Published: October 29, 2026, 11:52 AM IST
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Abhishek Sharma en route to scoring century against New Zealand in 3rd T20 vs Wellington(Source: X)
India vs New Zealand 2026 4th T20: Team India opener Abhishek Sharma has enjoyed a golden run in T20I cricket in the month of October, capped off by 113 in 38 balls with 11 sixes to give his side an assailable 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand at Wellington on TuesdayHe has now also returned to the No1 rank in the T20I batters list in the ICC rankings.
The Sunrisers Hyderabad batter will now have his eye set on former India captain Suryakumar Yadav’s incredible record of scoring most T20I runs for India in a calendar year when Team India take on New Zealand in the 4th T20I match of five-game series at the Eden Park in Auckland on FridayIn 37 T20Is in 2026, Abhishek has piled up 1,125 runs at an average of 31.25 and a strike rate of 206.42, including two centuries and eight fiftiesHe is now 40 runs away from breaking Suryakumar’s record when he scored 1,164 runs in 2022.
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Bro’s batting
Bro’s celebration ♂️
Bro’s rankingAbhishek Sharma is back at the top of the latest ICC Men’s T20I batting rankings! https://t.co/7PR7rMgiOP
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 29, 2026
Abhishek’s teammate Ishan Kishan is leading run-scorer for India in T20I cricket in 2026 with 1158 runs in 35 matches but he has been ruled out of the last two matches due to a right abductor strainKishan also needs only 7 runs to beat Suryakumar Yadav’s record.
Abhishek Sharma set to overtake KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya
Abhishek, who was retained for Rs 14 crore by Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of IPL 2026, is also in line to overtake KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya in top T20I run-scorers list for IndiaHe is only 49 runs away from getting past KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya to become country’s fourth-highest run-getter in T20Is.
The Indian opener has already established a massive record of having the most T20 centuries by an Indian (11), surpassing legendary Virat KohliIn 70 T20Is, Abhishek has scored 2,240 runs in 69 innings at an average of 33.43 and a strike rate of 196.83, with four centuries and 14 fifties, with best score of 135He is currently India’s sixth-highest T20I run-getter just over two years after his T20I debut.
If the Punjab and SRH star can add 26 more runs to his tally, he will get storm KL Rahul (2,265 runs in 72 matches with two centuries and 22 fifties) to become India’s fifth-highest run-getterIf he scores 49 more runs in the 4th T20I match vs New Zealand in Auckland, he’ll take him past Hardik Pandya (2,288 runs in 138 matches with nine fifties) to become the fourth-highest run-getter for India in T20Is.
The top-three run-getters in T20Is for India are Rohit Sharma (4,231 runs in 159 matches with five centuries and 32 fifties), Virat Kohli (4,188 runs in 125 matches with a century and 38 fifties) and Suryakumar Yadav (3,272 runs in 113 matches with four centuries and 25 fifties).
