'If my message goes to him': Mohammad Amir clarifies 'slogger' remark about Abhishek Sharma after another failure

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has clarified his earlier “slogger” remark about India opener Abhishek Sharma after the young batter’s struggles continued in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Amir had earlier called Abhishek a “tulla” and “just a slogger”, comments that triggered strong reactions on social media. However, the left-arm pacer has now explained that his words were misunderstood and that he was speaking purely from a bowler’s perspective.

T20 World Cup 2026:   News |   Schedule |   Results |   Points Table

Amir's latest comments came after Abhishek failed once again and India lost their crucial Super 8 match against South Africa. “I was talking about him from the point of view of a bowler. I was talking about his technique. People felt bad because I used the word slogger,” Amir said on a Pakistani TV show Haarna Mana Hai.

More from Firstcricket

He explained that his criticism was about technical areas that international bowlers can exploit. "By that, I meant his technique is such that a good team, a bunch of good bowlers, can trap him. Look at the 14 runs he scored, he scored all of them on one side. The balls he hit were bad balls. But, when Rabada started bowling well, he was not able to figure it out."

Amir's message for Abhishek

Meanwhile, Amir also praised Abhishek’s fearless mindset. "He is a good player. Even after bagging three ducks, he has the same intent. He did not go onto the back foot. He is positive," he said.

"As a senior player, if my message goes to him, I will tell him: Your technique gets exposed in international cricket. If you can show some patience and play the ball on its merit, then it will be better. He has the skills, but it depends on him how well he will utilise them. I said that in that sense. People felt bad," Amir added.

Earlier in the tournament, Amir had compared Abhishek’s struggles to Pakistan opener Saim Ayub. He pointed out how both young batters have been targeted in their weaker areas by international bowlers.

Abhishek, currently ranked No. 1 in the ICC T20I batting rankings before the tournament, has endured a disappointing campaign so far. After three consecutive ducks earlier in the competition, he managed just 15 runs against South Africa in the Super 8 stage on Sunday. India lost the match by 76 runs and took a big hit on their Net Run Rate (NRR), denting their semi-final hops.