Ahead of the upcoming high-octane IND vs PAK clash in the T20 World Cup 2026, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav shared a key update on the availability of star opener Abhishek Sharma. Notably, Abhishek had been unwell and had suffered a stomach infection, which forced him to miss the previous encounter against Namibia and he had to be admitted to the hospital briefly.
Nevertheless, now with the Pakistan game lined up, speculation remained if the left-hander would return for the marquee fixture. Furthermore, Pakistan skipper Salaman Ali Agha had said to the press that he would want Abhishek to feature in the clash.
On the same lines, Suryakumar Yadav responded to the opposition skipper while clearing any air of ambiguity. SKY confirmed that Abhishek Sharma will feature in the IND vs PAK game slated for tomorrow (February 15).
Speaking on the eve of the match, Suryakumar said, ‘If Pak wants us to play Abhishek, then done. He will play tomorrow.”
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The 25-year-old, so far, has played three games against the Men in Green, managing 110 runs at an average of 36.7 and a fiery strike rate of 189.7. Abhishek’s knocks also include an explosive 39-ball 74 during a group-stage match at the Asia Cup 2025 last year.
However, the youngster is yet to get going in the ICC event, falling for a golden duck against USA and will now be targeting the Pakistan game to stage his return.
Speaking about India Super 8 chances T20 World Cup 2026, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side currently secures the top-spot in the Group A standings with two wins from two games and four points. Following India at No.2 is Pakistan, with a similar tally but an inferior run-rate. The upcoming IND vs PAK game will thus be crucial to decide the fate of the Group A T20 World Cup 2026 qualification scenarios.
On the other hand, USA and Netherlands have one win each from three games and they are still in contention for a Super 8s spot. While India are favourites to advance from the Group, a slip from Pakistan in their final two games can open up the group for USA and the Dutch.
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