Abhishek Sharma vs Shane Watson - comparing their batting stats after 26 T20Is

India’s opening batter Abhishek Sharma was on a roll in the second T20I against Australia in Melbourne on Friday, October 31. The World No. 1-ranked batter slammed a quickfire 68 runs off 37 balls at a strike rate of 183.78, hitting two sixes and eight boundaries. The left-hander looked in complete control with his shot-making while the other batters struggled, making the most of his red-hot form. Unfortunately, the Men in Blue lost the game by four wickets.

Abhishek has gone from strength to strength in his T20I career. Earlier this year, he scored 279 runs against England in the five-match series at home with a best score of 135 off 54 balls. The Punjab-born batter was then adjudged the Player of the Tournament in the 2025 Asia Cup. In those games, he amassed 314 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 200, comprising three half-centuries. After his quickfire 68 in the second T20I against the Aussies, the 25-year-old will now be keen to continue his purple patch in the remainder of the series Down Under.

In this article, we will compare Abhishek Sharma’s T20I records to Shane Watson's.

Comparing Abhishek Sharma and Shane Watson’s records after 26 T20Is

Most runs

Abhishek Sharma made his debut against Zimbabwe in July 2024. He had a disastrous outing with the bat as he perished for a duck. Since then, he has amassed 936 runs in 26 matches.

Players	Matches	Innings	Runs
Abhishek Sharma	26	25	936
Shane Watson	26	25	643

Like Abhishek, Shane Watson departed early on his debut against South Africa in 2006, managing just four runs. The Queensland all-rounder scored 643 runs in his first 26 T20Is.

Averages and Strike rates

Abhishek Sharma plays at a stunning strike rate of 193.38 in T20Is. The southpaw has also improved his average to 37.44 over the last 10 games.

Players	Matches	Averages	Strike rates
Abhishek Sharma	26	37.44	193.38
Shane Watson	26	27.95	152.73

On the other hand, Shane Watson played at a strike rate of 152.73 in his first 26 T20Is, which was above par during his era. His average was 27.95, much lower than that of Abhishek.

Most 100s and 50s

Abhishek Sharma has tasted success early in his T20I career, hitting two centuries and six fifties. As mentioned above, he slammed a 54-ball 135 against England in 2025.

Players	Matches	100s	50s	Career-best
Abhishek Sharma	26	2	6	135
Shane Watson	26	0	7	81

On the contrary, Shane Watson failed to score a ton in his first 26 games. He, however, hit seven half-centuries. The swashbuckling batter slammed his career-best against Pakistan in the 2010 T20 World Cup, hitting a quickfire 81 off 49 balls.

Runs in a winning cause

Abhishek Sharma won 20 out of his first 26 T20Is with the Men in Blue. In these matches, he scored 760 runs in 19 innings at a strike rate of 200.52, including two tons and four half-centuries.

Meanwhile, Shane Watson managed to win 14 out of his first 26 T20Is with Australia. In these games, he amassed 425 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 156.25, comprising five tons.

Players	Matches	Innings	Runs	Averages	Strike rates	100s	50s
Abhishek Sharma	20	19	760	40.00	200.52	2	4
Shane Watson	14	13	425	35.41	156.25	0	5

Overall, Shane Watson has managed 1,462 runs in 58 matches (56 innings) at a strike rate of 145.32, including one ton and 10 fifties. Abhishek will likely eclipse his tally over the next few months. This is because India are scheduled to play back-to-back T20I series against South Africa and New Zealand ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.