The excitement around India’s T20I series against Australia is skyrocketing — and leading the charge is none other than Abhishek Sharma. Cricket Australia has confirmed that tickets for the second T20I at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on October 31 have already been sold out, more than three weeks before the match.
MCG Clash Sells Out Despite Kohli & Rohit’s Absence
This white-ball series is India’s first major assignment after a dramatic reshuffle in the ODI setup, which saw Shubman Gill replace Rohit Sharma as captain. Despite the absence of two of India’s biggest T20 stars — Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who retired from the shortest format after the 2024 T20 World Cup — demand for tickets has remained sky-high.
Cricket Australia revealed that ticket sales for the series have already crossed 175,000, with fewer than 30,000 tickets left for the remaining eight matches.
Abhishek Sharma: The New Fan-Favorite
Much of this buzz is being attributed to the Abhishek Sharma effect. The 23-year-old has been one of India’s most exciting T20 batters over the past 15 months, smashing 849 runs in 23 matches at an average close to 37 and a blistering strike rate of 196. His aggressive batting style and fearless approach have quickly made him a fan favorite.
Melbourne — home to 36% of Australia’s Indian migrant population — is expected to turn into a sea of blue on match day, with Indian fans packing the stands to watch their new hero in action.
Record-Breaking Ticket Sales Across the Series
Cricket Australia also confirmed that tickets for other venues are vanishing fast. Public allocations for Sydney and Manuka Oval are already sold out, while the Adelaide ODI and Gabba T20I have fewer than 5,000 seats left each.
The third ODI in Sydney on October 25, expected to be the final 50-over appearance for Rohit and Kohli in Australia, is also on track to be a full house.
“The huge crowd anticipated for the Melbourne T20I is another strong indicator of the incredible interest in this series,” said Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg.
With the MCG already sold out and fans desperate to witness the rise of Abhishek Sharma on Australian soil, this series promises to be one of the most electrifying white-ball contests of the year.
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