New Delhi, Jan 31 (NationPress) Ricky Ponting, the former captain of Australia, has made a bold prediction stating that Indian opener Abhishek Sharma is set to be one of the standout players at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

He believes that this left-handed batsman could finish the tournament as the top run-scorer and even secure the title of Player of the Tournament.

Ponting, an ICC Hall of Famer, thinks that Abhishek’s lack of experience in ICC events may actually serve as an advantage. The 25-year-old is on the verge of making his T20 World Cup debut when the tournament kicks off on February 7.

“He’s a star,” stated Ponting in a recent edition of The ICC Review. “I genuinely think that his inexperience is a positive factor. He has the potential to be the leading run-scorer and could even be the Player of the Tournament.”

“That’s how exceptional I believe he is. If he performs well, it will make India significantly harder to defeat. If he struggles, they could be just as vulnerable as any other team. His role is crucial for India in this T20 World Cup,” he added.

Ponting is confident that the global stage will not intimidate Abhishek, drawing on his experience coaching him during the Indian Premier League.

“I was his first IPL coach,” Ponting reminisced about his time with the Delhi Capitals. “He made his debut with me at 17 and had an immediate impact.”

“He struck his first ball for four or six straight back over the bowler’s head with that classic straight bat pose. You could tell even then at 17 that he was something special.”

Ponting also disclosed that he had vehemently opposed the decision to trade Abhishek from Delhi Capitals, convinced that the young prodigy was destined for greatness.

“We ended up trading him away, but I argued continuously against it. I insisted we had to keep him; there was a superstar in the making,” he said.

Abhishek was part of India’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup-winning squad in 2018 and is now set to participate in his first international T20 World Cup.

Leading up to the tournament, Abhishek has been in remarkable form, scoring 152 runs in four matches against New Zealand in the T20I series. In one of those matches, he achieved a half-century in just 14 balls, marking the second-fastest half-century by an Indian in T20Is.

The only Indian player to have scored a half-century quicker was Yuvraj Singh, who reached his half-century in only 12 balls against England in 2007.

Abhishek is anticipated to be a pivotal player in India’s pursuit to win back-to-back Men's T20 World Cups.

India has been placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, USA, Namibia, and the Netherlands. They will commence their title defense against the USA on February 7.