3 matches, 3 ducks for Abhishek Sharma! Fans brutally troll Indian batter's T20 World Cup 2026 struggles, say 'he looks more Shahid Afridi's student than Yuvraj Singh's'

The player ranked as the No. 1 T20I batter in the world - Abhishek Sharma - has endured a stunning collapse in form since the start of the T20 World Cup 2026. Just weeks before the tournament, he looked unstoppable, dominating New Zealand's bowlers in a bilateral series and heading into the World Cup with massive expectations on his shoulders.

But once the tournament began, the rhythm vanished. The confident strokeplay disappeared, timing looked off, and innings after innings ended almost immediately - a dramatic shift that has left fans and pundits stunned. Even Yuvraj Singh - his mentor - who often discusses Abhishek's performances on X (formerly Twitter), has remained noticeably quiet about this rough patch.

In what many considered a low-pressure game against the Netherlands - with India already through to the Top 8 - things only got worse. Dutch spinner Aryan Dutt removed Abhishek early, handing him a hat-trick of ducks in the tournament.

His scores so far paint a brutal picture:

• 0(1) vs USA
• 0(5) vs PAK
• 0(3) vs NED

For a batter ranked world No. 1, it has been a nightmare start. He is still searching for his first run of the tournament, often walking back visibly frustrated - head tilted back, eyes closed - a picture that has quickly gone viral among fans.

As expected, social media reactions were immediate and intense. Cricket fans on X have been divided between disappointment and outright trolling to even memes flooding the internet. All have turned his struggles into one of the biggest talking points of the tournament.

Some comments were particularly harsh, with a few fans saying he looks "more Shahid Afridi's student than Yuvraj Singh's." The reaction highlights how far expectations have fallen compared to the standards Abhishek had set for himself coming into the World Cup.

The Super 8 stage begins on February 21 and runs through March 1, with eight teams split into two groups of four.

India's opening Super 8 clash will be against South Africa on February 22 in Ahmedabad - a replay of the previous edition's final.

The second fixture sees India face Zimbabwe on February 26 in Chennai. Zimbabwe's qualification came after a washed-out game against Ireland, a result that ended Australia's campaign after just one win in three matches.

India will finish the Super 8 round against West Indies on March 1 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. With only the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals, the defending champions cannot afford slips - especially with key players searching for form.

While India remain one of the strongest contenders on paper, Abhishek Sharma's slump has become an unexpected storyline heading into the knockout phase. Whether this rough patch becomes a turning point or a lingering problem could define India’s campaign - and perhaps silence or fuel the online noise even further.