India opener Abhishek Sharma silenced his critics with a blistering half-century in the T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad last Sunday (March 8).
The southpaw, who had managed only 89 runs from seven innings prior to the final, rose to the occasion in the title clash by slamming the fastest half-century of the tournament.
Abhishek hammered his fifty in just 18 balls, eventually departing for 52 off 21. His knock, studded with 6 fours and 3 sixes, laid the foundation of India’s mammoth 255/5 in 20 overs, which proved to be too much for the Kiwis, who were bowled out for 159 in 19 overs.
Speaking on the Willow Talk Cricket Podcast, former Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin hailed Abhishek Sharma’s impactful innings in the most important match of the competition.
"I'm a huge fan of Abhishek, and there was a lot of talk about his position throughout the tournament. Got a few ducks in a row in the pool games, and all of a sudden, you think he is under pressure, but they are the guys you want in the big moments, because they are rascals and they walk into the fire. That is what Abhishek does, he puts pressure on the opposition, and the way that he went out in that final set up the game," Haddin said.
Haddin admitted that he had expected the Black Caps to break the final jinx this time. The 2026 T20 World Cup final was the latest in a string of white-ball final heartbreaks for New Zealand. Since 2015, they have reached five major white-ball finals (2015 ODI World Cup, 2019 ODI World Cup, 2021 T20 World Cup, 2025 Champions Trophy, and 2026 T20 World Cup) without winning any of them.
The triumph in the 2000 ICC KnockOut (now Champions Trophy) in Nairobi, where they defeated India by four wickets, remains their only major ICC white-ball success to date.
"New Zealand have done a good job again to get to a final. I thought New Zealand were really red hot for the final. The way Finn Allen and Tim Seifert were batting. I thought they were in one of those tournament modes where everything is going their way. But the last hurdle [they failed to cross]. The classier team won, didn't it?" Haddin remarked.
