Abhishek Sharma's T20I series record falls as Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan hits 238

India opener Abhishek Sharma has lost his record for the most runs in a three-match bilateral T20 International series between full-member nations. Pakistan captain Sahibzada Farhan scored 238 runs in Pakistan's home series against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi, which ended on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, passing the 229 runs Abhishek made against Afghanistan in September. Farhan made 89 off 53 balls in the first match on October 9, 73 off 44 in the second on October 11 and 76 off 47 in the third, finishing with an average of 79.33 and a strike rate of 165.27. He was named Player of the Series as Pakistan won 2-1. Abhishek, meanwhile, is in action for India in the fourth T20I against West Indies in Hyderabad on October 14.

Abhishek Sharma has had a remarkable 2026. His series against Afghanistan was extraordinary: India swept it 3-0, and in the final match in New Delhi he reached 100 in 30 balls on his way to 108, beating Rohit Sharma's previous Indian record of a 35-ball T20I century. In that innings he also set a men's T20I powerplay record of 76 runs off 22 balls. The series aggregate of 229 had pushed Munro and Warner down the list. That it stood for less than a month shows how quickly records now move in the shortest format.

Farhan's achievement came with a different style. Where Abhishek scored at a strike rate well above 200 against Afghanistan, Farhan built his total through consistency, passing 70 in all three matches against a Sri Lankan attack. It was also his first home series as Pakistan's full-time T20I captain, which made the run more significant for him. It is not the first time the two openers have been compared: during the 2025 Asia Cup, Farhan also passed Abhishek's mark for the most T20 sixes in a calendar year by an Asian batter.

For young Indian fans, the rivalry adds an extra layer to every India-Pakistan meeting. Abhishek is still in the middle of a busy season. In India's current five-match series against West Indies, his 69 off 30 balls in the third match at Indore helped India to a 14-run win and a 2-1 lead. The fourth match is in Hyderabad on Wednesday evening, and the series ends in Bengaluru. He will have more chances to post big totals, though in a five-match series rather than a three-match one.

Short-term: The record adds attention to Abhishek's remaining innings against West Indies, starting with the fourth T20I in Hyderabad on October 14.

Long-term: The two openers' scoring is resetting expectations of what a top-order batter can do in a short series, and their names are likely to keep trading places in T20I record books.

Who is affected: Abhishek Sharma and the Indian team, Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan, fans following the India-Pakistan rivalry, and young batters who see aggressive opening as the path into national teams.

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