England all-rounder Sam Curran has revealed that his team remains wary of Abhishek Sharma despite an indifferent form in the opener ahead of their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final clash against India.
The Indian opener has endured a poor tournament so far, scoring just 80 runs from six innings. Abhishek registered three consecutive ducks early in the competition, followed by a laborious 15 off 12 balls against South Africa.
However, he finally rediscovered some rhythm against Zimbabwe, producing a quick-fire 55 off 30 deliveries, only to fall cheaply again for 10 off 11 balls against the West Indies. Heading into the semi-finals, Abhishek has fond memories of the encounter against England at the Wankhede Stadium. where he smashed a blistering 135 off just 54 balls against them in 2025.
Ahead of the game, Curran admitted he hoped the left-hander would not repeat such heroics this time around.
“Well, our main focus at the moment is Thursday night. Of course I hope Abhishek doesn’t hit the same kind of shot again. But we are very well prepared for the game and our focus is firmly on Thursday night,” Curran said during the pre-match press conference.
Curran further stated that he expects a high-scoring encounter against India. However, given England’s experience playing in Indian conditions and against the opposition, he insisted there was no fear in the camp.
“It’s a fantastic stadium – obviously very iconic. I’m sure it will be very loud on Thursday night and that’s what makes it such an amazing experience, especially as a young cricketer. You dream of playing India in the semi-finals of the World Cup. It’s usually a very good wicket and a small ground, so I expect a high-scoring game, but we’ve played a lot of quality here, but India, as you said. Our team has appeared in the IPL and played regularly against India, so we are not afraid of anything,” he added.
What is India’s record against England?
India holds the upper hand over the English cricket team in T20I history, winning 17 of the 29 matches between the two sides. Additionally, the men in blue have won five of the last six T20Is played between the teams.
The two teams also met in the semifinals of the previous two editions of the tournament. While England beat India by ten wickets in the 2022 edition, India responded by defeating them by 68 runs in the 2024 semi-final.
With both the teams in great form, the upcoming encounter promises to be another sensational contest as they fight for a place in the finals of the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
March 3, 2026 6:31 PM IST
