Abhishek Sharma went absolutely berserk for Punjab against Bengal in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Sunday, hammering a half-century off just 12 balls.
That’s now the joint-third-fastest fifty ever in men’s T20 cricket, and the joint-second-fastest by an Indian. Pretty wild stuff.
Abhishek Sharma brings his A-Game
Abhishek Sharma is only the fifth guy to pull off a 12-ball fifty in T20s. Yuvraj Singh did it first, way back at the 2007 T20 World Cup remember those six sixes off Stuart Broad?
Chris Gayle pulled it off in the Big Bash for Melbourne Renegades in 2016, and then Hazratullah Zazai matched it in the Afghanistan Premier League a couple years later, with Gayle actually playing for the other team that day.
But Abhishek didn’t stop at fifty. He blasted 16 sixes in a 52-ball 148, tearing into Bengal’s bowling with a strike rate of almost 285. Punjab racked up 310 runs only the fourth time any team has crossed 300 in T20 cricket.
Abhishek Sharma is unstoppable in T20 cricket. He smashed century in just 32 balls against Bengal in SMAT.
– 50 in 12 balls
– 100 in 32 ballsHe smashed against bengal’s bowler like Mohammad Shami, Akash Deep and Shahbaz Ahmed 🔥🗿pic.twitter.com/HDyAOG952z
— Tejash (@Tejashyyyyy) November 30, 2025
He had plenty of help, too: Prabhsimran Singh smashed 70 from 35 balls, Ramandeep Singh cracked 39 off 15, and Sanvir Singh chipped in 22 from just 8. Punjab hit 28 sixes in total. Mohammed Shami took a beating, giving up 61 from his four overs.
Bengal actually gave it a go, but they finished 112 runs short. Abhimanyu Easwaran nearly matched the fireworks with a stunning 130 off 66 balls, but no one else really stuck around except Akash Deep, who swung hard for 31 off just 7 balls, all in sixes except for one. Punjab just had too much firepower on the day.
Abhishek Sharma is rewriting record books! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vPAZRhIepD
— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) November 30, 2025
Why Abhishek Sharma isn’t in the ODI squad right now
1. His 50-over record just isn’t there yet
Abhishek Sharma has made a name for himself in T20 cricket. No one’s questioning his talent in the shortest format. But when you look at his numbers in the longer white-ball game. List-A or 50-over cricket, it’s a different story. After lighting up a few T20s, plenty of people expected him to slide right into ODIs, but that hasn’t happened.
In recent India A matches, facing Australia A and South Africa A, he struggled, getting out for a duck in one game, and only managing 22 off 25 balls in another.
So, right now, the selectors just don’t see him as ready for ODI cricket. Compare him with someone like Yashasvi Jaiswal, who already looks the part in List-A games, better average, more consistency. It’s a tough act to follow.
2. The top order is stacked
Let’s be honest, breaking into India’s top order is brutal. Rohit Sharma isn’t going anywhere. Jaiswal is making every chance count. Then there’s Shubman Gill and a bunch of others jostling for spots.
On short ODI tours, say, just three matches, the team doesn’t like to shuffle things too much. They stick with experience because there’s no time to experiment.
The selectors have also mentioned they want a lean squad for these series. That means they’re not going to carry a bunch of openers just in case. You have to be the obvious pick, not just an option.
3. Recent List-A struggles
Abhishek’s explosive T20 form gets everyone excited, but his 50-over numbers keep letting him down. After the Asia Cup and his headline-making T20 knocks, he only managed 96 runs in five List-A games. That’s not enough to force the selectors’ hand, especially since the competition is so fierce.
What’s working for him and why he’s not out of the picture
Abhishek Sharma is a T20 star. In 2025, he was India’s best player in the T20Is against England, smashed a 135 in Mumbai, and kept giving the team electric starts.
His IPL and domestic T20 form, big hitting, high strike rates, and consistency mean the selectors are definitely watching him.
People who know the game say he’s got the right mindset and the strokes to succeed even against tough bowling, including pace and bounce overseas. If he gets his chance, he has the skills to make it count.
When could he get his ODI shot?
If things stay the way they are, Abhishek probably needs a string of strong performances in domestic 50-over games to break in. The selectors want proof he can handle the demands of ODIs not just go berserk in T20s.
If he piles up runs in upcoming domestic tournaments and India A matches, and if someone currently in the ODI squad gets injured or loses form, he could get his shot maybe within the next year.
But with so many contenders and not that many 50-over matches, nothing’s guaranteed. For now, Abhishek’s got the talent and the buzz, but he’ll have to earn his place by nailing it in List-A cricket.
