• Home
  • Player Stories
  • When Abhishek Sharma Found Bangladesh Pace Sensation Tanzim Hasan Too Hot To Handle

When Abhishek Sharma Found Bangladesh Pace Sensation Tanzim Hasan Too Hot To Handle

Akshita Patel

Abhishek Sharma vs Tanzim Shakib Hasan battle [Source: @Saabir_Saabu01, @raisul_rifat88/X.com]Abhishek Sharma vs Tanzim Shakib Hasan battle [Source: @Saabir_Saabu01, @raisul_rifat88/X.com]

At the 2024 India-Bangladesh T20I series, one of the most intriguing mini-battles that everyone was eyeing was a confrontation between India's courageous opener Abhishek Sharma and Bangladesh's aggressive right-arm pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib, the promising right-arm medium pacer of Bangladesh, has shaken the Asia Cup 2025 with a stunning spell against Hong Kong. In the first inning, he picked two wickets while conceding just 21 runs in a 4-over spell.

With Hong Kong likely in Bangladesh’s grip, Tanzim’s form is an alarming sign for India’s explosive opener, Abhishek Sharma.

Throwback To Tanzim's Dominance Against Abhishek

On paper, Abhishek Sharma has always been the more dangerous. Fresh off his IPL heroics, he carried a reputation for explosive starts, especially in the powerplay. 

But in their head-to-head clash, it was Tanzim Sakib who came out on top. In 2024 T20I series, Abhishek faced 7 deliveries from Shakib and could only muster 8 runs. He hit two boundaries but never seemed comfortable, receiving 5 dot balls in the process. 

Abhishek Sharma vs Tanzim Shakib In T20I

Balls Faced
7
Runs Scored8
Dismissals2
Average4.0
Strike Rate114.3
Dot balls5

More importantly, Sakib dismissed him twice in as many matches, giving him a massive psychological edge. That left Abhishek with a strike rate of 114.3 but an average of just 4 against the young Bangladeshi quick.

The key to Tanzim Hasan Sakib’s success was his discipline. While bowling with the new ball, he did not give Abhishek room to swing his arms freely. Rather than providing width, he attacked the stumps and mixed in clever changes of pace. 

Abhishek Sharma, who thrives on hitting through the line, found himself tied down and forced into mistakes. 

Will Tanzim Get A Chance To Bowl To Abhishek In The Asia Cup?

Interestingly, India (Group A) and Bangladesh (Group B) are placed in different groups in the Asia Cup 2025. However, their potential encounter cannot be ruled out. 

If both teams manage to dominate their respective groups and qualify for the knockout stages, India and Bangladesh can come face-to-face in the semi-final and finals as well. If so happens, Abhishek Sharma will have his guards up against Tanzim Shakib, who might further thrive on UAE pitches.