T20 WC 2026: Samson vs. Sharma – Stats Favour THIS Player for the IND-SA Clash

Both players have decent statistics against the Proteas

In the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup, India has made a fiery start, having won all its games in the group stage. However, the team is dealing with a dilemma, namely the poor performance of Abhishek Sharma. For the record, Sharma, who is considered India’s star opener in the T20 format, has had three ducks – to be honest, this is a really poor record for a player who joined the tournament as the top-ranked ICC T20I batter.

Therefore, many are of the opinion that in the first Super 8 game versus South Africa, Sanju Samson should replace Sharma. There have been numerous discussions about how Sanju Samson could provide a stable opening, while Sharma has the potential to score big runs for India in the first six overs due to his strike rate. Knee-jerk decisions could also make or break the team, and therefore, Sharma should be handled with patience.

In summary, while pundits have expressed their expert opinions, there is no guarantee of a performance from either player. Therefore, in the following paragraphs, we have charted how the two players have fared against South Africa in previous T20Is in case stats are taken into consideration for the selection of the playing XI.

Sharma vs. South Africa

Against the Proteas, the young opener has played eight games between 2024 and 2025. In these eight games, he amassed 200 runs at an average of 25, and his highest score stood at 50. Fortunately, Sharma recorded a strike rate of 173.91, which proves that he went for the big hits as per the requirements of the T20I format.

Samson vs. South Africa

Samson is more experienced than the other player, but his inconsistency has never allowed him to shine enough. Compared to Sharma, Samson has played five games, i.e., three less, but has managed 253 runs at an average of 63.25 while registering an average strike rate of 190.22. Not to forget, he even has two T20I centuries against South Africa, and throughout his T20I career, Samson has performed the best against the Proteas.

Last series

Even if we take the last T20I series into consideration that India played against South Africa, Samson played only one match and scored 37 runs, whereas Sharma played four matches and scored 103 runs at an average of 25.75.

Overall, if past stats become the deciding factor, Sanju Samson should get another shot, and he must get it right. If not, his international career could fade into oblivion because there will not be any further chances after this World Cup.

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