Mohammed Siraj was drafted into the squad for the tournament in place of the injured Harshit Rana.
After a comprehensive victory against the United States of America (USA) in the first match of the T20 World Cup 2026, India take on the Namibians in their second match of the campaign. The Blues made two changes to the side, with Mohammed Siraj being left out of the XI.
The Gujarat Titans (GT) pacer, who was the highest wicket-taker in the first match against USA has been left out of the Indian side for Jasprit Bumrah. Mohammed Siraj is having a roller-coaster of the tournament, as he was included in the squad in place of Harshit Rana at the 11th hour.
With this change, it is highly possible that Hardik Pandya will take the new ball alongside Arshdeep Singh, considering the way he has bowled. Hardik has added a lot of stability to the Indian setup, and has provided the right balance for the Blues.
ALSO READ:
Considering his exploits in the first game against USA, the 31-year-old speedster is well on his way towards contributing to the team’s success. Siraj picked up three wickets for 29 runs at an economy of 7.25 in Mumbai.
That being said, Mohammed Siraj will not be the first choice speedster for the Men in Blue in the tournament – with Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh being the primary options. To add to that, Hardik Pandya’s presence with the ball in hand gives the team a lot of stability.
In 17 T20Is so far, Siraj has picked as many wickets at an economy of 7.75 with a solitary four-wicket haul. Though the shortest format in international cricket has not been his best forte, Siraj has shown glimpses of being tremendously successful in the format.
One thing he might need to work on is the variations bit. Siraj has been taken to the cleaners quite regularly at the death, and that is something which will be on his radar.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
