India star opener Abhishek Sharma has been penalised by the Indian Premier League following his team’s victory over Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Thursday (Apr 2). The all-rounder received a 25 per cent deduction from his match fee along with one demerit point for using inappropriate language during the game. The match referee found him guilty of breaching Article 2.3 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which deals with the use of offensive or profane language that can be heard by spectators or broadcast audiences. The 25-year-old accepted the charge and the penalty from the IPL.&nbsp;&nbsp;In an official statement, the IPL confirmed that he committed a Level 1 offence under Article 2.3 and as per the regulations, the match referee’s decision in such cases is final.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2026-here-s-all-you-need-to-know-about-csk-vs-pbks-match-no-7-timing-squad-h2h-more-1775198217600">IPL 2026: Here's all you need to know about CSK vs PBKS match no 7 timing, squad, H2H &amp; more</a>&nbsp;"Abhishek Sharma, All-rounder, Sunrisers Hyderabad, has been fined 25 per cent of his match fees and has also accumulated one demerit point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team's match against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Thursday. He admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.3 and accepted the Match Referee's sanction. For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee's decision is final and binding," read the statement from the IPL.&nbsp;The exact moment wasn’t officially confirmed, but it likely happened when he got out in a close call. Varun Chakravarthy took a catch near the boundary and even though the replay was unclear, Abhishek was given out, which made him frustrated.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-world-cup-2026-most-inaccessible-to-date-fifa-raises-final-ticket-prices-to-10-990-from-1-600-in-2022-1775189226291">FIFA raises top 2026 WC final ticket prices to $10,990 from $1,600 in 2022</a>&nbsp;Despite the incident, Abhishek bounced back strongly after a quiet outing against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and played an aggressive knock of 48 runs off just 21 deliveries, hitting four fours and four sixes. His contribution helped Hyderabad post a huge total of 226, before they bowled KKR out for 161 in 16 overs to secure a convincing win.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sunrisers Hyderabad will next face Lucknow Super Giants at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday (Apr 5).

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will next face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday (Apr 5).

India star opener Abhishek Sharma has been penalised by the Indian Premier League following his team’s victory over Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Thursday (Apr 2). The all-rounder received a 25 per cent deduction from his match fee along with one demerit point for using inappropriate language during the game. The match referee found him guilty of breaching Article 2.3 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which deals with the use of offensive or profane language that can be heard by spectators or broadcast audiences. The 25-year-old accepted the charge and the penalty from the IPL. In an official statement, the IPL confirmed that he committed a Level 1 offence under Article 2.3 and as per the regulations, the match referee’s decision in such cases is final. Also Read - IPL 2026: Here's all you need to know about CSK vs PBKS match no 7 timing, squad, H2H & more "Abhishek Sharma, All-rounder, Sunrisers Hyderabad, has been fined 25 per cent of his match fees and has also accumulated one demerit point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team's match against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Thursday. He admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.3 and accepted the Match Referee's sanction. For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee's decision is final and binding," read the statement from the IPL. The exact moment wasn’t officially confirmed, but it likely happened when he got out in a close call. Varun Chakravarthy took a catch near the boundary and even though the replay was unclear, Abhishek was given out, which made him frustrated. Also Read - FIFA raises top 2026 WC final ticket prices to $10,990 from $1,600 in 2022 Despite the incident, Abhishek bounced back strongly after a quiet outing against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and played an aggressive knock of 48 runs off just 21 deliveries, hitting four fours and four sixes. His contribution helped Hyderabad post a huge total of 226, before they bowled KKR out for 161 in 16 overs to secure a convincing win. Sunrisers Hyderabad will next face Lucknow Super Giants at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday (Apr 5).

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will next face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday (Apr 5).

IPL 2026: Abhishek Sharma fined for code of conduct breach in KKR vs SRH

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) slumped to back-to-back defeats in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) on Thursday (April 2) as they lost to SunRisers Hyderabad(SRH) on home soil. Playing in their first home match of the IPL 2026 season at iconic Eden Gardens Stadium, SRH defeated KKR by 65 runs to register their first win of the season, having lost to Royal Challengers Benglauru (RCB) in the curtain-raiser clash on Saturday. Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen were the stars of the show with the bat for SRH, while Jaydev Unadkat scalped three wickets with the ball.<h2>SRH register first win</h2>Both teams came into the match after a defeat in their opening outings, but 2016 winners Hyderabad executed their plans to perfection. Kolkata's New Zealand import Finn Allen struck three fours and two sixes off David Payne in the first over of the chase to get them off to a blistering start. But after a seven-ball 28, Allen departed in the second over and despite wicketkeeper-batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi's 52, the Kolkata chase fizzled out.&nbsp;Left-arm quick Jaydev Unadkat took three wickets, including two in two balls, to bowl out Kolkata with four overs left unused as Hyderabad bounced back.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-cameron-green-to-liam-livingstone-5-most-expensive-players-in-ipl-2026-auctions-matheesha-pathirana-kartik-sharma-prashant-veer-1774031148132">From Cameron Green to Liam Livingstone, 5 most expensive players in IPL 2026 auctions</a><h2>What happened in SRH innings?</h2>Australia's Head hit 46 off 21 balls and, along with Abhishek, who clobbered a 21-ball 48, laid the foundations for Hyderabad's 226-8 at Kolkata's Eden Gardens. Hyderabad then bowled out three-time winners Kolkata for 161 in 16 overs to register their first points after losing their opener to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Head and Abhishek put on 82 runs for the first wicket as the two tore into the opposition attack and hit 10 fours and seven sixes between them.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-sanju-samson-5-highest-individual-score-in-a-lost-chase-in-ipl-yusuf-pathan-kl-rahul-shaun-marsh-ipl-2026-1774084136030">From Rohit Sharma to Sanju Samson, 5 highest individual scores in a lost chase in IPL</a>&nbsp;South Africa's Heinrich Klaasen top-scored with 52 after Kolkata lost three quick wickets, including skipper Ishan Kishan, for 14, and Abhishek in one over from Blessing Muzarabani, who finished with 4-41. Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made 39, put on 82 for the fifth wicket to help Hyderabad finish on a high.

Playing in their first home match of the IPL 2026 season at iconic Eden Gardens Stadium, SRH defeated KKR by 65 runs to register their first win of the season, having lost to Royal Challengers Benglauru (RCB) in the curtain-raiser clash on Saturday. 

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) slumped to back-to-back defeats in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) on Thursday (April 2) as they lost to SunRisers Hyderabad(SRH) on home soil. Playing in their first home match of the IPL 2026 season at iconic Eden Gardens Stadium, SRH defeated KKR by 65 runs to register their first win of the season, having lost to Royal Challengers Benglauru (RCB) in the curtain-raiser clash on Saturday. Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen were the stars of the show with the bat for SRH, while Jaydev Unadkat scalped three wickets with the ball. SRH register first win Both teams came into the match after a defeat in their opening outings, but 2016 winners Hyderabad executed their plans to perfection. Kolkata's New Zealand import Finn Allen struck three fours and two sixes off David Payne in the first over of the chase to get them off to a blistering start. But after a seven-ball 28, Allen departed in the second over and despite wicketkeeper-batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi's 52, the Kolkata chase fizzled out. Left-arm quick Jaydev Unadkat took three wickets, including two in two balls, to bowl out Kolkata with four overs left unused as Hyderabad bounced back. ALSO READ | From Cameron Green to Liam Livingstone, 5 most expensive players in IPL 2026 auctions What happened in SRH innings? Australia's Head hit 46 off 21 balls and, along with Abhishek, who clobbered a 21-ball 48, laid the foundations for Hyderabad's 226-8 at Kolkata's Eden Gardens. Hyderabad then bowled out three-time winners Kolkata for 161 in 16 overs to register their first points after losing their opener to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Head and Abhishek put on 82 runs for the first wicket as the two tore into the opposition attack and hit 10 fours and seven sixes between them. ALSO READ | From Rohit Sharma to Sanju Samson, 5 highest individual scores in a lost chase in IPL South Africa's Heinrich Klaasen top-scored with 52 after Kolkata lost three quick wickets, including skipper Ishan Kishan, for 14, and Abhishek in one over from Blessing Muzarabani, who finished with 4-41. Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made 39, put on 82 for the fifth wicket to help Hyderabad finish on a high.

Playing in their first home match of the IPL 2026 season at iconic Eden Gardens Stadium, SRH defeated KKR by 65 runs to register their first win of the season, having lost to Royal Challengers Benglauru (RCB) in the curtain-raiser clash on Saturday.&nbsp;

IPL 2026: Klaasen, Abhishek help SRH register first win as KKR slump to back-to-back defeats

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) may have missed out on the services of Mustafizur Rahman after a controversial call from the franchise, but he was hardly missed in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) contest against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Thursday (April 2). Called in as a late replacement for Rahman, Blessing Muzarabani was right on the money on his home debut as he scalped the wickets of Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma in the same over.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">𝗜.𝗖.𝗬.𝗠.𝗜 🎥 Rinku Singh making it look easy in the field 😏 He now has the most catches for <a href="https://twitter.com/KKRiders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KKRiders</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> 🫴 🫡 Updates ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/iCMFpDudP7">https://t.co/iCMFpDudP7</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KhelBindaas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KhelBindaas</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvSRH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvSRH</a> <a href="https://t.co/RQW52NAKE4">pic.twitter.com/RQW52NAKE4</a>&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/2039729066736324800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>KKR blessed with Blessing Muzarabani</h2>With SRH 111/1 after 8.1 overs, things were very much heading in the right direction for the home side before Muzarabani was called in to action. The Zimbabwe pacer first scalped Ishan (14 off 9) on the second ball of the ninth over before getting the better of Abhishek (48 off 21). While Abhishek’s dismissal looked controversial with the ball possibly touching the ground, he was given out by the third umpire. With Abhishek’s wicket on the fourth ball, Muzarabani scalped both Indian batters who recently won the T20 World Cup in a span of three balls to make a statement.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-sanju-samson-5-highest-individual-score-in-a-lost-chase-in-ipl-yusuf-pathan-kl-rahul-shaun-marsh-ipl-2026-1774084136030">From Rohit Sharma to Sanju Samson, 5 highest individual scores in a lost chase in IPL</a><h2>What happened in SRH innings?</h2>In the very next over, spinner Anukl Roy removed Aniket Verma (1) as Hyderabad slumped to 123/4 after the end of the 10th over. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen steadied the ship for their side as Hyderabad posted 168/4 in 15 overs. During the 18th over, Kartik Tyagi conceded 16 runs as Hyderabad reached a commanding position of 200/4. In the very next over, Vaibhav Arora took back-to-back wickets of Nitish Reddy, who scored 39 off 24 balls, with five boundaries and Salil Arora for a golden duck.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-cameron-green-to-liam-livingstone-5-most-expensive-players-in-ipl-2026-auctions-matheesha-pathirana-kartik-sharma-prashant-veer-1774031148132">From Cameron Green to Liam Livingstone, 5 most expensive players in IPL 2026 auctions</a>&nbsp;Klaasen slammed 52 off 35 balls, with five boundaries, as Hyderabad posted a challenging total of 226/8 in 20 overs. For KKR, speedster Muzarabani picked up a four-wicket haul.

With SRH 111/1 after 8.1 overs, things were very much heading in the right direction for the home side before Muzarabani was called in to action. The Zimbabwe pacer first scalped Ishan (14 off 9) on the second ball of the ninth over before getting the better of Abhishek (48 off 21).

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) may have missed out on the services of Mustafizur Rahman after a controversial call from the franchise, but he was hardly missed in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) contest against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Thursday (April 2). Called in as a late replacement for Rahman, Blessing Muzarabani was right on the money on his home debut as he scalped the wickets of Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma in the same over.

With SRH 111/1 after 8.1 overs, things were very much heading in the right direction for the home side before Muzarabani was called in to action. The Zimbabwe pacer first scalped Ishan (14 off 9) on the second ball of the ninth over before getting the better of Abhishek (48 off 21).

IPL 2026: Mustafizur who? Blessing Muzarabani scalps Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma in one over for KKR

From Vaibhav Suryavanshi to Priyansh Arya here is a look at five fastest IPL hundreds by Indian batters. The tempting list also consists of names like Yusuf Pathan, Abhishek Sharma and Mayank Agarwal. 

From Vaibhav Suryavanshi to Priyansh Arya, 5 fastest IPL hundreds by Indian batters

Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has highlighted a key area for star batter Abhishek Sharma as the latest season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) gets closer. Abhishek, currently the number one batter in T20Is, will be a key factor for SunRisers Hyderabad as they look to end their 10-year wait for an IPL title. According to De Villiers, Abhishek needs to overcome challenges mentally and could help SRH deliver their first title in a decade.<h2>Abhishek’s mantra to success</h2>“He’s 25, not 20 anymore. So, this is definitely the phase where he has to start taking more responsibility. There will be media pressure and people asking him to become more consistent. We know he was a little inconsistent during the T20 World Cup, which was disappointing. He had a good finish in the final, but otherwise, it was a quiet tournament for him,” Kumble said.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/meet-indians-to-score-most-runs-in-each-of-last-5-t20-world-cups-ft-virat-kohli-kl-rahul-rohit-sharma-2026-t20-world-cup-1768479871185">Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli</a>&nbsp;“He was erratic at times. He had an unbelievable IPL 2025, scoring close to a 200 strike-rate and averaging in the 30s, which is good for an opening batter scoring over 400 runs in the tournament, but it could have been better. Once again, that word consistency comes to mind. It’s a personal challenge he will have to overcome mentally. Being the number one international T20I batter in the world comes with expectation, and that is the most dangerous word in cricket, when you feel like the whole world is closing in on you, and it’s up to him to fight those me,” the former India Test captain added.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-chris-gayle-to-brendon-mccullum-5-batters-to-score-fastest-t20-world-cup-hundreds-rilee-rossouw-ahmed-shehzad-1768553361691">From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds</a>&nbsp;Abhishek played a key role in India’s T20 World Cup success recently and scored an 18-ball fifty in the final. He had a poor run in the opening phase of the World Cup but eventually helped India win the World Cup, while Sanju Samson was another key addition to the squad.&nbsp;SRH will kickstart their IPL 2026 season against defending champions Royal Challengers Benglauru (RCB) on Saturday (Mar 28) at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Abhishek Sharma, currently the number one batter in T20Is, will be a key factor for SunRisers Hyderabad as they look to end their 10-year wait for an IPL title. According to De Villiers, Abhishek needs to overcome challenges mentally and could help SRH deliver their first title in a decade.

Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has highlighted a key area for star batter Abhishek Sharma as the latest season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) gets closer. Abhishek, currently the number one batter in T20Is, will be a key factor for SunRisers Hyderabad as they look to end their 10-year wait for an IPL title. According to De Villiers, Abhishek needs to overcome challenges mentally and could help SRH deliver their first title in a decade. Abhishek’s mantra to success “He’s 25, not 20 anymore. So, this is definitely the phase where he has to start taking more responsibility. There will be media pressure and people asking him to become more consistent. We know he was a little inconsistent during the T20 World Cup, which was disappointing. He had a good finish in the final, but otherwise, it was a quiet tournament for him,” Kumble said. ALSO READ | Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli “He was erratic at times. He had an unbelievable IPL 2025, scoring close to a 200 strike-rate and averaging in the 30s, which is good for an opening batter scoring over 400 runs in the tournament, but it could have been better. Once again, that word consistency comes to mind. It’s a personal challenge he will have to overcome mentally. Being the number one international T20I batter in the world comes with expectation, and that is the most dangerous word in cricket, when you feel like the whole world is closing in on you, and it’s up to him to fight those me,” the former India Test captain added. ALSO READ | From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds Abhishek played a key role in India’s T20 World Cup success recently and scored an 18-ball fifty in the final. He had a poor run in the opening phase of the World Cup but eventually helped India win the World Cup, while Sanju Samson was another key addition to the squad. SRH will kickstart their IPL 2026 season against defending champions Royal Challengers Benglauru (RCB) on Saturday (Mar 28) at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Abhishek Sharma, currently the number one batter in T20Is, will be a key factor for SunRisers Hyderabad as they look to end their 10-year wait for an IPL title. According to De Villiers, Abhishek needs to overcome challenges mentally and could help SRH deliver their first title in a decade.

IPL 2026: AB de Villiers highlights key factor for SRH star Abhishek Sharma, says 'he has to start...'

From Abhishek Sharma to Sanju Samson, here's a look at the top five Indian batters with highest strike rates in T20Is. This list also includes Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh and SuryaKumar Yadav

Meet top 5 Indian batters with highest strike rates in T20Is

India won the record third T20 World Cup by beating New Zealand on Sunday (Mar 8). India played near-perfect final but were patchy in their performance in the matches prior to that including losing to SA in Super 8.

From SKY's rescue act vs USA to Axar's twin catches: India's Top Moments in Historic T20 World Cup 2026 Win

India were given a perfect start by the batting duo of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma as they scored 92 runs in the Powerplay of the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand on Sunday (Mar 8). Playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium against New Zealand in the final, Abhishek completed his fifty in 18 balls as India set the tone for the final. Abhishek’s innings comes after he was underfire for a poor batting show at the start of the tournament.<h2>Abhishek-Sanju make perfect start</h2>With pressure on his shoulders, it was Abhishek who silenced his critics as he scored an 18-ball fifty to give India a perfect start. The 92-run stand was the highest ever for India in a T20 World Cup. Abhishek was soon dismissed by Rachin Ravindra for 52 off 21 as he helped the Men in Blue get a perfect start. His innings consisted of 6 fours and 3 sixes and averaged almost three runs per ball.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/meet-indians-to-score-most-runs-in-each-of-last-5-t20-world-cups-ft-virat-kohli-kl-rahul-rohit-sharma-2026-t20-world-cup-1768479871185">Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli</a><h2>Highest PP scores in T20 WCs</h2>92/0 - IND vs NZ, Ahmedabad, 2026 Final92/1 - WI vs AFG, Bridgetown, 202491/1 - NED vs IRE, Sylhet, 201489/3 - ENG vs SA, Mumbai WS, 201686/1 - IND vs NAM, Delhi, 2026&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-chris-gayle-to-brendon-mccullum-5-batters-to-score-fastest-t20-world-cup-hundreds-rilee-rossouw-ahmed-shehzad-1768553361691">From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds</a><h2>Team management shows faith in duo</h2>Despite issues facing issues with the form, the team management showed faith in Varun and Abhishek. While Abhishek was expected to retain, there were question marks on his stay in the Playing XI with Kuldeep Yadav in the frame. However, Kuldeep had to once again settle for a place on the bench as he played no role in India’s campaign on home soil, with his only opportunity coming in the Pakistan contest in Colombo.

Playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium against New Zealand in the final, Abhishek completed his fifty in 18 balls as India set the tone for the final. Abhishek Sharma innings comes after he was underfire for a poor batting show at the start of the tournament.

India were given a perfect start by the batting duo of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma as they scored 92 runs in the Powerplay of the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand on Sunday (Mar 8). Playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium against New Zealand in the final, Abhishek completed his fifty in 18 balls as India set the tone for the final. Abhishek’s innings comes after he was underfire for a poor batting show at the start of the tournament. Abhishek-Sanju make perfect start With pressure on his shoulders, it was Abhishek who silenced his critics as he scored an 18-ball fifty to give India a perfect start. The 92-run stand was the highest ever for India in a T20 World Cup. Abhishek was soon dismissed by Rachin Ravindra for 52 off 21 as he helped the Men in Blue get a perfect start. His innings consisted of 6 fours and 3 sixes and averaged almost three runs per ball. ALSO READ | Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli Highest PP scores in T20 WCs 92/0 - IND vs NZ, Ahmedabad, 2026 Final 92/1 - WI vs AFG, Bridgetown, 2024 91/1 - NED vs IRE, Sylhet, 2014 89/3 - ENG vs SA, Mumbai WS, 2016 86/1 - IND vs NAM, Delhi, 2026 ALSO READ | From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds Team management shows faith in duo Despite issues facing issues with the form, the team management showed faith in Varun and Abhishek. While Abhishek was expected to retain, there were question marks on his stay in the Playing XI with Kuldeep Yadav in the frame. However, Kuldeep had to once again settle for a place on the bench as he played no role in India’s campaign on home soil, with his only opportunity coming in the Pakistan contest in Colombo.

Playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium against New Zealand in the final, Abhishek completed his fifty in 18 balls as India set the tone for the final. Abhishek Sharma's innings comes after he was underfire for a poor batting show at the start of the tournament.

IND vs NZ, T20 World Cup final: Abhishek-Sanju give India perfect start with 92 runs in powerplay

India named an unchanged Playing XI for the final of the T20 World Cup 2026 as they retained faith in Varun Chakaravarthy and Abhishek Sharma despite poor form. Playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, showed faith in both Abhishek and Varun, who have endured poor form in the later stages of the tournament. At the time of writing, New Zealand won the toss and opted to bowl first, meaning both teams will retain their semifinal roles if they are to win the World Cup.<h2>India retain faith in struggling duo</h2>Despite issues facing issues with the form, the team management showed faith in Varun and Abhishek. While Abhishek was expected to retain, there were question marks on his stay in the Playing XI with Kuldeep Yadav in the frame. However, Kuldeep had to once again settle for a place on the bench as he played no role in India’s campaign on home soil, with his only opportunity coming in the Pakistan contest in Colombo.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-chris-gayle-to-brendon-mccullum-5-batters-to-score-fastest-t20-world-cup-hundreds-rilee-rossouw-ahmed-shehzad-1768553361691">From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds</a><h2>Varun’s poor form</h2>Varun’s return of 186/4 in 16 overs in his last four matches had seen him attract critics and could face the heat in the final. His economy rate has become a huge concern for the team management considering India have looted runs against Zimbabwe and England in their recent encounters. In fact, India narrowly avoided a defeat against England in the semis despite scoring 253 runs.&nbsp;New Zealand, on the other hand, made one change as they brought in Jacob Duffy in place of Cole McConchie.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/meet-indians-to-score-most-runs-in-each-of-last-5-t20-world-cups-ft-virat-kohli-kl-rahul-rohit-sharma-2026-t20-world-cup-1768479871185">Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli</a><h2>Teams&nbsp;</h2>India&nbsp;(Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah.&nbsp;New Zealand&nbsp;(Playing XI): Tim Seifert(w), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner(c), Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy.&nbsp;

Playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, showed faith in both Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakaravarthy, who have endured poor form in the later stages of the tournament. 

India named an unchanged Playing XI for the final of the T20 World Cup 2026 as they retained faith in Varun Chakaravarthy and Abhishek Sharma despite poor form. Playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, showed faith in both Abhishek and Varun, who have endured poor form in the later stages of the tournament. At the time of writing, New Zealand won the toss and opted to bowl first, meaning both teams will retain their semifinal roles if they are to win the World Cup. India retain faith in struggling duo Despite issues facing issues with the form, the team management showed faith in Varun and Abhishek. While Abhishek was expected to retain, there were question marks on his stay in the Playing XI with Kuldeep Yadav in the frame. However, Kuldeep had to once again settle for a place on the bench as he played no role in India’s campaign on home soil, with his only opportunity coming in the Pakistan contest in Colombo. ALSO READ | From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds Varun’s poor form Varun’s return of 186/4 in 16 overs in his last four matches had seen him attract critics and could face the heat in the final. His economy rate has become a huge concern for the team management considering India have looted runs against Zimbabwe and England in their recent encounters. In fact, India narrowly avoided a defeat against England in the semis despite scoring 253 runs. New Zealand, on the other hand, made one change as they brought in Jacob Duffy in place of Cole McConchie. ALSO READ | Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli Teams India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah. New Zealand (Playing XI): Tim Seifert(w), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner(c), Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy.

Playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, showed faith in both Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakaravarthy, who have endured poor form in the later stages of the tournament.&nbsp;

IND vs NZ, T20 World Cup final: Underfire Varun, Abhishek retain spot in Playing XI as India go unchanged

Former India captain Kapil Dev has backed Abhishek Sharma to feature in the T20 World Cup 2026 final despite having a lackluster form in the build-up. After beating England in the T20 World Cup semifinal, India are all set to face New Zealand in the summit clash with eyes on Abhishek Sharma’s form. The batter has been poor form throughout the tournament, including a hat-trick of ducks.<h2>Kapil backs Abhishek Sharma</h2>"Just believe in your team and the management should believe in the player. And Abhishek should believe in himself that 'I can perform and I will perform'. Still one game is there - the final," Kapil said on the sidelines of a golf event.&nbsp;"I didn't think that it would become this difficult. When India score 250-plus, it was a brilliant game. Yes, India won, congratulations to them, but in the end it was cricket's win. I enjoyed it a lot, not as a bowler though," the 1983 World Cup winner said.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/meet-indians-to-score-most-runs-in-each-of-last-5-t20-world-cups-ft-virat-kohli-kl-rahul-rohit-sharma-2026-t20-world-cup-1768479871185">Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli</a>&nbsp;Abhishek had a series of ducks at the start of the T20 World Cup before resuming form in the Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe. India will rely heavily on the services of Abhishek, who has been wanting to return to form. So far in the tournament, he has scored 89 runs in seven innings. He will be looking to return to form on Sunday in what will be a career-defining moment for the Indian opener.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-chris-gayle-to-brendon-mccullum-5-batters-to-score-fastest-t20-world-cup-hundreds-rilee-rossouw-ahmed-shehzad-1768553361691">From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds</a><h2>India eye glory in Ahmedabad</h2>On Sunday, India will take on New Zealand in what will be their fourth T20 World Cup final. India have won two titles and missed out once when they lost to Sri Lanka in the 2014 final. India will rely on the services of Sanju Samson, who has been in fine form in the last two innings. He scored an unbeaten 97 against the West Indies, followed by another match-winning knock of 89 runs against England.&nbsp;The T20 World Cup final will start at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, with the toss taking place at 6:30 p.m. IST.

Abhishek had a series of ducks at the start of the T20 World Cup before resuming form in the Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe. India will rely heavily on the services of Abhishek, who has been wanting to return to form. So far in the tournament, he has scored 89 runs in seven innings. 

Former India captain Kapil Dev has backed Abhishek Sharma to feature in the T20 World Cup 2026 final despite having a lackluster form in the build-up. After beating England in the T20 World Cup semifinal, India are all set to face New Zealand in the summit clash with eyes on Abhishek Sharma’s form. The batter has been poor form throughout the tournament, including a hat-trick of ducks. Kapil backs Abhishek Sharma "Just believe in your team and the management should believe in the player. And Abhishek should believe in himself that 'I can perform and I will perform'. Still one game is there - the final," Kapil said on the sidelines of a golf event. "I didn't think that it would become this difficult. When India score 250-plus, it was a brilliant game. Yes, India won, congratulations to them, but in the end it was cricket's win. I enjoyed it a lot, not as a bowler though," the 1983 World Cup winner said. ALSO READ | Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli Abhishek had a series of ducks at the start of the T20 World Cup before resuming form in the Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe. India will rely heavily on the services of Abhishek, who has been wanting to return to form. So far in the tournament, he has scored 89 runs in seven innings. He will be looking to return to form on Sunday in what will be a career-defining moment for the Indian opener. ALSO READ | From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds India eye glory in Ahmedabad On Sunday, India will take on New Zealand in what will be their fourth T20 World Cup final. India have won two titles and missed out once when they lost to Sri Lanka in the 2014 final. India will rely on the services of Sanju Samson, who has been in fine form in the last two innings. He scored an unbeaten 97 against the West Indies, followed by another match-winning knock of 89 runs against England. The T20 World Cup final will start at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, with the toss taking place at 6:30 p.m. IST.

Abhishek had a series of ducks at the start of the T20 World Cup before resuming form in the Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe. India will rely heavily on the services of Abhishek, who has been wanting to return to form. So far in the tournament, he has scored 89 runs in seven innings.&nbsp;

IND vs NZ, T20 World Cup final: Kapil Dev backs Abhishek Sharma for final, says 'he should believe in himself'

India officially eliminated Zimbabwe in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 as they now sit a win away from the semifinal of the tournament. Playing on Thursday (Feb 26) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, the Men in Blue beat Zimbabwe by 72 runs and will now battle out against the West Indies in a virtual quarterfinal on Sunday at the Eden Gardens. The winner of the final Super 8 clash between India and the West Indies will go through to the semis, while the winner will also have the opportunity to top their group in case South Africa lose to Zimbabwe.<h2>India eliminate Zimbabwe</h2>Tasked with chasing 257 runs to win the Super 8 clash, Zimbabwe gave a good account of their batting unit but were ultimately undone. Opener Brian Bennett was the star of their innings as he scored 97 runs and salvaged pride for the African nation. His innings consisted of 8 fours and 6 sixes, impressing with his batting display.&nbsp;However, no big partnership and a lack of support saw Zimbabwe fall short of the target. Captain Sikandar Raza scored 31 off 21, while Tadiwanashe Marumani scored 20 runs. However, no other batters got going as Zimbabwe lost the match and were eliminated from the tournament.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/meet-indians-to-score-most-runs-in-each-of-last-5-t20-world-cups-ft-virat-kohli-kl-rahul-rohit-sharma-2026-t20-world-cup-1768479871185">Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli</a><h2>What happened in India’s innings?</h2>Asked to bat first, Sanju Samson (24 off 15) and Abhishek Sharma (55 off 30) gave a decent start to the Men in Blue. Samson yet again failed to impress with the bat and was dismissed in the Powerplay and could not make the most of his opportunities. On the other hand, Abhishek scored 55, helping him regain his form while going on a barren run in the T20 World Cup.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-chris-gayle-to-brendon-mccullum-5-batters-to-score-fastest-t20-world-cup-hundreds-rilee-rossouw-ahmed-shehzad-1768553361691">From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds</a>&nbsp;After Abhishek’s dismissal, Ishan Kishan(38 off 24) and captain &nbsp;Suryakumar Yadav (33 off 13) added to the team’s cause. However, it was the impressive batting display from underfire Tilak Varma (unbeaten 44) and Hardik Pandya (50 off 23) that caught the eye. The duo’s explosive hitting in the log overs saw India post 256/4 in their 20 overs.India now take on the West Indies on Sunday, with the winner going through to the semis while the loser faces elimination at the Eden Gardens.

Playing on Thursday (Feb 26) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, the Men in Blue beat Zimbabwe by 72 runs and will now battle out against the West Indies in a virtual quarterfinal on Sunday at the Eden Gardens. 

India officially eliminated Zimbabwe in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 as they now sit a win away from the semifinal of the tournament. Playing on Thursday (Feb 26) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, the Men in Blue beat Zimbabwe by 72 runs and will now battle out against the West Indies in a virtual quarterfinal on Sunday at the Eden Gardens. The winner of the final Super 8 clash between India and the West Indies will go through to the semis, while the winner will also have the opportunity to top their group in case South Africa lose to Zimbabwe. India eliminate Zimbabwe Tasked with chasing 257 runs to win the Super 8 clash, Zimbabwe gave a good account of their batting unit but were ultimately undone. Opener Brian Bennett was the star of their innings as he scored 97 runs and salvaged pride for the African nation. His innings consisted of 8 fours and 6 sixes, impressing with his batting display. However, no big partnership and a lack of support saw Zimbabwe fall short of the target. Captain Sikandar Raza scored 31 off 21, while Tadiwanashe Marumani scored 20 runs. However, no other batters got going as Zimbabwe lost the match and were eliminated from the tournament. ALSO READ | Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli What happened in India’s innings? Asked to bat first, Sanju Samson (24 off 15) and Abhishek Sharma (55 off 30) gave a decent start to the Men in Blue. Samson yet again failed to impress with the bat and was dismissed in the Powerplay and could not make the most of his opportunities. On the other hand, Abhishek scored 55, helping him regain his form while going on a barren run in the T20 World Cup. ALSO READ | From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds After Abhishek’s dismissal, Ishan Kishan(38 off 24) and captain Suryakumar Yadav (33 off 13) added to the team’s cause. However, it was the impressive batting display from underfire Tilak Varma (unbeaten 44) and Hardik Pandya (50 off 23) that caught the eye. The duo’s explosive hitting in the log overs saw India post 256/4 in their 20 overs. India now take on the West Indies on Sunday, with the winner going through to the semis while the loser faces elimination at the Eden Gardens.

Playing on Thursday (Feb 26) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, the Men in Blue beat Zimbabwe by 72 runs and will now battle out against the West Indies in a virtual quarterfinal on Sunday at the Eden Gardens.&nbsp;

T20 World Cup 2026: India eliminate Zimbabwe to keep semifinal hopes alive; Abhishek, Hardik star with bat

Team India has begun its survival drill in Chennai ahead of a crucial do-or-die game against Zimbabwe in the T20 World Cup Super 8 tie. Sitting on the brink of a shock elimination since losing to South Africa in Ahmedabad by 76 runs, Team India must iron out their issues, including Abhishek Sharma’s form and sort their playing XI. While opener Abhishek turned into a leg-spinner in Chennai nets on Tuesday evening, Samson hogged the limelight as Rinku Singh’s potential replacement for the next game.&nbsp;The latest reports suggest that Rinku left the Indian camp to be with his ailing father, and is unlikely to return in time for the Zimbabwe fixture on Thursday (Feb 26). Considering he remains absent, India has a backup option in Samson, who batted alongside Ishan Kishan in Tuesday's training, honing his skills against the turning ball. While he is likely to walk into the playing XI, opening with Abhishek, with Ishan coming in at number three, India could make another change by bringing in Axar Patel for Washington Sundar.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">High intensity and focus 🔛 💪<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> putting in the work ahead of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvZIM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvZIM</a> 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/T20WorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#T20WorldCup</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MenInBlue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MenInBlue</a> <a href="https://t.co/zjOtB9m7jS">pic.twitter.com/zjOtB9m7jS</a>&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/2026509305353318615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-2026-harry-brook-maiden-hundred-seals-semis-spot-for-england-as-pakistan-on-brink-of-elimination-super-8-pallekele-1771952713777">T20 World Cup: Harry Brook’s maiden hundred seals semis spot for England as Pakistan on brink of elimination</a> &nbsp;T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav also worked on his range-hitting, aiming to improve his strike-rate, which pushed India back against the Proteas in Ahmedabad. Although his knock against the USA in India’s tournament opener helped them survive a shocker, the seasoned T20 batter hasn’t looked convincing in his remaining outings. A Times of India (TOI) report also stated that despite being bowled out by India’s frontline spinners several times, he never stopped hitting them big at the Chepauk stands. &nbsp;With India asking Chennai curators to prepare a surface to their liking, more batting-friendly, with a hint of assistance for spinners, SKY’s changed higher approach could reap rewards.<h3>Abhishek turns leggie before finding form</h3>Since peaking in the T20I bilateral series before the competition, Abhishek’s shock slump has made headlines. He got out to zero in three games and scored 15 against the Proteas, looking clueless on all occasions.&nbsp; &nbsp;Ahead of the Zimbabwe fixture, which could dictate his chances, should he again fail, Abhishek bowled leg-spin in the nets before observing batters facing practice spinners in the training. As the nets were folding up, Abhishek batted for nearly half an hour and even connected, showing glimpses of returning to form at the right time. &nbsp;As a few of his shots landed beyond the boundary rope, the onlookers seemed convinced that Abhishek was closing in on finding his breakthrough moment in this tournament.

India faces a must-win Super 8 clash vs Zimbabwe at Chepauk. With Rinku Singh out, Sanju Samson is set to return while Abhishek Sharma trials a new role.

Team India has begun its survival drill in Chennai ahead of a crucial do-or-die game against Zimbabwe in the T20 World Cup Super 8 tie. Sitting on the brink of a shock elimination since losing to South Africa in Ahmedabad by 76 runs, Team India must iron out their issues, including Abhishek Sharma’s form and sort their playing XI. While opener Abhishek turned into a leg-spinner in Chennai nets on Tuesday evening, Samson hogged the limelight as Rinku Singh’s potential replacement for the next game. The latest reports suggest that Rinku left the Indian camp to be with his ailing father, and is unlikely to return in time for the Zimbabwe fixture on Thursday (Feb 26). Considering he remains absent, India has a backup option in Samson, who batted alongside Ishan Kishan in Tuesday's training, honing his skills against the turning ball. While he is likely to walk into the playing XI, opening with Abhishek, with Ishan coming in at number three, India could make another change by bringing in Axar Patel for Washington Sundar.

India faces a must-win Super 8 clash vs Zimbabwe at Chepauk. With Rinku Singh out, Sanju Samson is set to return while Abhishek Sharma trials a new role.

IND vs ZIM: India’s Super 8 survival drill in Chennai; Samson in focus as Abhishek turns leggie

Team India opener Abhishek Sharma delivered a confident statement despite being out for three consecutive ducks in the T20 World Cup 2026. The left-hander said he will not change the way he thinks or plays, even after a disappointing start to the tournament. Featuring in his first T20 World Cup, Sharma is yet to open his account. In a video shared by Star Sports, Abhishek explained that he stopped putting pressure on himself two years ago and believes he can control only his practice and preparation. He said he is working hard in training and trusts that results will improve over time. Most importantly, he enjoys batting and does not want to feel stressed.&nbsp;&nbsp;He further said that every batter faces ups and downs. Some days bring runs and some days do not. He believes he must decide how he wants to play and stick to that plan. Even if he fails, he will not change his mindset or approach.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lionel-messi-inter-miami-loses-mls-opener-to-son-lafc-in-battle-of-global-stars-1771743855572">Lionel Messi’s Miami loses MLS opener to Son’s LAFC in battle of global stars</a>&nbsp;“I just enjoy my batting. I have left taking pressure two years ago because I feel that the process is in my hands. Practice and training are what I am doing, which I should always keep doing, and which will keep increasing gradually. I enjoy this thing, so there is no such pressure,” Abhishek Sharma said in a video.&nbsp;“Obviously, batters always face ups and downs. Sometimes there are runs in an innings, sometimes there are not, but I feel personally, I have to decide at a certain point in time that I have to play like this, have to play with such intent. I may or may not succeed in it, but I will not change my process and my mindset,” &nbsp;he added.<h2>Watch the video</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">“I won’t ever change my process and mindset.” 📈<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AbhishekSharma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AbhishekSharma</a> ‘BELIEVES’ in himself as India march into the Super 8 vs <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthAfrica?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SouthAfrica</a>. 💪 Predict his score against South Africa in the comments.🧐 ICC Men’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/T20WorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#T20WorldCup</a> SUPER 8 👉 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvSA</a> | SUN, 22 FEB, 6 PM <a href="https://t.co/kgNbhfsWC1">pic.twitter.com/kgNbhfsWC1</a>&mdash; Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/2025128220086194336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-announces-support-for-cricket-association-for-the-blind-in-india-includes-international-exposure-home-series-1771688634467">BCCI announces support for Cricket Association for the Blind in India</a>&nbsp;After the group stage, many fans and experts have talked about his poor performance. However, captain Suryakumar Yadav and the rest of the Indian team continue to support him and believe he will perform well in the next stage.&nbsp;Defending champions India will begin their Super 8 campaign against South Africa on Sunday (Feb 22) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Defending champions India will begin their Super 8 campaign against South Africa on Sunday (Feb 22) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Team India opener Abhishek Sharma delivered a confident statement despite being out for three consecutive ducks in the T20 World Cup 2026. The left-hander said he will not change the way he thinks or plays, even after a disappointing start to the tournament. Featuring in his first T20 World Cup, Sharma is yet to open his account. In a video shared by Star Sports, Abhishek explained that he stopped putting pressure on himself two years ago and believes he can control only his practice and preparation. He said he is working hard in training and trusts that results will improve over time. Most importantly, he enjoys batting and does not want to feel stressed. He further said that every batter faces ups and downs. Some days bring runs and some days do not. He believes he must decide how he wants to play and stick to that plan. Even if he fails, he will not change his mindset or approach. Also Read - Lionel Messi’s Miami loses MLS opener to Son’s LAFC in battle of global stars “I just enjoy my batting. I have left taking pressure two years ago because I feel that the process is in my hands. Practice and training are what I am doing, which I should always keep doing, and which will keep increasing gradually. I enjoy this thing, so there is no such pressure,” Abhishek Sharma said in a video. “Obviously, batters always face ups and downs. Sometimes there are runs in an innings, sometimes there are not, but I feel personally, I have to decide at a certain point in time that I have to play like this, have to play with such intent. I may or may not succeed in it, but I will not change my process and my mindset,” he added. Watch the video

Defending champions India will begin their Super 8 campaign against South Africa on Sunday (Feb 22) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

'I will not change...': Abhishek Sharma on hat-trick of ducks in T20 World Cup 2026

India and South Africa face off in a crucial Super 8 T20 World Cup match in Ahmedabad on Sunday (Feb 22). Having topped their respective groups and maintaining an unbeaten streak thus far in this tournament, the two heavyweights will collide in the clash of the titans. While India will enter this match after beating the USA, Namibia, Pakistan and the Netherlands, the Proteas stunned all teams from Group D, including New Zealand and Afghanistan, in a first-ever double super over tie. Here is the match preview and team news.<h2>Match Preview –</h2>Team India has ticked all the boxes in this T20 World Cup. Although captain Suryakumar Yadav says his team’s batting hasn’t exploded yet, the tournament’s co-hosts have taken their opponents to the cleaners in the contested games. Although there have been repeated failures at the top from opener Abhishek Sharma, who has registered three ducks in three matches, the batting depth has saved India on all occasions.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-sa-t20-world-cup-2026-super-8-check-live-streaming-details-head-to-head-pitch-weather-report-india-vs-south-africa-1771669488717">IND vs SA, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8: Check live streaming details, head-to-head, pitch &amp; weather report</a> &nbsp;While it was SKY who delivered the punch against the USA, Ishan Kishan's exploits against Pakistan saved India's grace. Against Namibia, the batting unit clicked, but following another batting scare against the Netherlands, Shivam Dube's power-hitting put them ahead in the dead rubber. &nbsp;Returning to Abhishek Sharma, the ranked number one T20I batter, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-he-carried-us-all-year-now-we-ll-back-him-suryakumar-yadav-on-abhishek-sharma-s-t20-world-cup-2026-struggles-1771670030193">SKY said he is worried for those who are worried for him</a>, as he is bound to click, and what better place and team to do it in this T20 World Cup. &nbsp;On the other hand, Team India’s bowling has been rock-solid. With everyone doing their jobs to perfection, India’s attack is capable of defending or restricting any opposition under the par totals. &nbsp;The Proteas, however, are the team to beat in this edition. Oozing with confidence, South Africa, much like India, has several match-winners waiting in the wings to make such matches all about themselves. Be it their batting top-order, which perhaps is the best performing one, or the lower order, jacked with all-rounders, they know how to win it on such days. &nbsp;Moreover, the advantage of playing all its group matches in Ahmedabad might keep South Africa ahead of India.<h3>Predicted Playing XIs of both teams –</h3>India – Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakaravarthy &nbsp;South Africa - Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj and Lungi Ngidi

Meanwhile, the two teams also met in their only warm-up game in Navi Mumbai earlier, with India winning that encounter.

India vs South Africa Super 8 Preview: Get the latest team news, predicted XIs, and match analysis for the Feb 22 clash in Ahmedabad. Both teams remain unbeaten in the T20 World Cup 2026—who will blink first?

India and South Africa face off in a crucial Super 8 T20 World Cup match in Ahmedabad on Sunday (Feb 22). Having topped their respective groups and maintaining an unbeaten streak thus far in this tournament, the two heavyweights will collide in the clash of the titans. While India will enter this match after beating the USA, Namibia, Pakistan and the Netherlands, the Proteas stunned all teams from Group D, including New Zealand and Afghanistan, in a first-ever double super over tie. Here is the match preview and team news. Match Preview – Team India has ticked all the boxes in this T20 World Cup. Although captain Suryakumar Yadav says his team’s batting hasn’t exploded yet, the tournament’s co-hosts have taken their opponents to the cleaners in the contested games. Although there have been repeated failures at the top from opener Abhishek Sharma, who has registered three ducks in three matches, the batting depth has saved India on all occasions. Also read | IND vs SA, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8: Check live streaming details, head-to-head, pitch & weather report While it was SKY who delivered the punch against the USA, Ishan Kishan's exploits against Pakistan saved India's grace. Against Namibia, the batting unit clicked, but following another batting scare against the Netherlands, Shivam Dube's power-hitting put them ahead in the dead rubber. Returning to Abhishek Sharma, the ranked number one T20I batter, SKY said he is worried for those who are worried for him, as he is bound to click, and what better place and team to do it in this T20 World Cup. On the other hand, Team India’s bowling has been rock-solid. With everyone doing their jobs to perfection, India’s attack is capable of defending or restricting any opposition under the par totals. The Proteas, however, are the team to beat in this edition. Oozing with confidence, South Africa, much like India, has several match-winners waiting in the wings to make such matches all about themselves. Be it their batting top-order, which perhaps is the best performing one, or the lower order, jacked with all-rounders, they know how to win it on such days. Moreover, the advantage of playing all its group matches in Ahmedabad might keep South Africa ahead of India. Predicted Playing XIs of both teams – India – Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakaravarthy South Africa - Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj and Lungi Ngidi

India vs South Africa Super 8 Preview: Get the latest team news, predicted XIs, and match analysis for the Feb 22 clash in Ahmedabad. Both teams remain unbeaten in the T20 World Cup 2026—who will blink first?

Clash of Titans: India-South Africa gear up for blockbuster Super 8 match in Ahmedabad – Preview

Despite his poor run in the T20 World Cup 2026, Abhishek Sharma continues to receive strong support from India captain Suryakumar Yadav. The 25-year-old batter has had a difficult start to his first ICC tournament. So far, he has played three matches and was dismissed for duck in all of them. He also missed India’s match against Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium because of a stomach illness and was admitted to hospital in Delhi. His poor form has also led some cricket experts to question on his participation in the playing XI.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, Suryakumar made it clear that he believes in the young opener. Speaking at the pre match press conference, the captain said Abhishek had played a key role for the team this year and now it is the team’s turn to support him. The 35-year-old also joked that he worries more about the critics than about Abhishek’s form.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Those who worry about Abhishek Sharma’s form, I worry about them. He covered for us all year, now it's our turn,"&nbsp;Suryakumar Yadav told reporters.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sl-vs-eng-t20-world-cup-2026-super-8-check-live-streaming-details-head-to-head-pitch-weather-report-1771656184720">SL vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8: Check live streaming details, head-to-head, pitch &amp; weather report</a>&nbsp;Meanwhile, India remained unbeaten in the ongoing tournament. They started with a 29-run win over the United States and then beat Namibia. India later defeated their arch-rivals, Pakistan by 61 runs and ended the group stage with a 17-run victory over the Netherlands. With four wins in four matches, India topped Group A.&nbsp;In the T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight stage, India are in Group 1 with Zimbabwe, South Africa and the West Indies. Their next match is against Aiden Markram’s South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday (Feb 22).

In the T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight stage, India are in Group 1 with Zimbabwe, South Africa and the West Indies. Their next match is against Aiden Markram’s South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday (Feb 22).

Despite his poor run in the T20 World Cup 2026, Abhishek Sharma continues to receive strong support from India captain Suryakumar Yadav. The 25-year-old batter has had a difficult start to his first ICC tournament. So far, he has played three matches and was dismissed for duck in all of them. He also missed India’s match against Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium because of a stomach illness and was admitted to hospital in Delhi. His poor form has also led some cricket experts to question on his participation in the playing XI. However, Suryakumar made it clear that he believes in the young opener. Speaking at the pre match press conference, the captain said Abhishek had played a key role for the team this year and now it is the team’s turn to support him. The 35-year-old also joked that he worries more about the critics than about Abhishek’s form. "Those who worry about Abhishek Sharma’s form, I worry about them. He covered for us all year, now it's our turn," Suryakumar Yadav told reporters. Also Read - SL vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8: Check live streaming details, head-to-head, pitch & weather report Meanwhile, India remained unbeaten in the ongoing tournament. They started with a 29-run win over the United States and then beat Namibia. India later defeated their arch-rivals, Pakistan by 61 runs and ended the group stage with a 17-run victory over the Netherlands. With four wins in four matches, India topped Group A. In the T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight stage, India are in Group 1 with Zimbabwe, South Africa and the West Indies. Their next match is against Aiden Markram’s South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday (Feb 22).

In the T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight stage, India are in Group 1 with Zimbabwe, South Africa and the West Indies. Their next match is against Aiden Markram’s South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday (Feb 22).

‘He carried us all year, now we’ll back him’: Suryakumar Yadav on Abhishek Sharma’s T20 World Cup 2026 struggles

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has compared India opener Abhishek Sharma to Pakistan’s Saim Ayub, saying both players have faced similar challenges early in their careers. Abhishek is yet to open his account in the T20 World Cup 2026, having been dismissed for duck in all three matches he has played and also missed one game due to a serious stomach infection. Amir believes Abhishek is trying to hit every ball for a big shot, adding that while this approach may work sometimes, but in international cricket, bowlers will soon find out your weakness. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Saim (Ayub) had the same issue when he came to play the PSL a few years back. He was new and was hitting no-look shots. Nobody knew his weakness because most of his shots were on the leg side. Now, if you bowl at the third or fourth stump line, he struggles to decide. Even in his last two matches, he was dismissed playing on the offside. Unless he improves his offside game, he cannot progress. Strong bowlers will always test your weakness and push you out of your comfort zone. Same for Abhishek. He wants every ball in the slot so he can hit. But at the bigger stages, or in ODIs, har ball lapete mein nahi le sakte (you cannot slog every ball in pressure cricket). Salman Agha and Aryna Dutta got him out in a similar fashion. International cricket will expose you,” Amir said while speaking on the show Haarna Mana hai.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nz-vs-pak-t20-world-cup-2026-super-8-check-live-streaming-details-head-to-head-pitch-weather-report-1771584780582">NZ vs PAK, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8: Check live streaming details, head-to-head, pitch &amp; weather report</a>&nbsp;In the group stage matches of T20 World Cup 2026, Abhishek was out for a golden duck against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium. In the next match against Pakistan in Colombo, he mistimed a pull shot off captain Salman Agha and got out in the first over. Against the Netherlands, he again fell for duck after missing a pull shot against off-spinner Aryan Dutt. Despite his recent failures, Abhishek has an aggressive record in T20Is. In 41 matches, he has scored 1,297 runs with a brilliant strike rate of 192.43.&nbsp;&nbsp;After the Pakistan match, Amir called Abhishek “just a slogger.” He said that the batter attacks every ball and may succeed once in several innings, but often scores only runs like 10, 15 or 20. Amir also questioned his technique.&nbsp;“By whatever little I have seen, if you ask me honestly, I feel he is just a slogger. He has to go hard at every ball. The day he gets going, it’s fine; otherwise, uske failure ke chances zyaada hain (The chances of his failure are high). He scores once in 8 innings. Otherwise, his scores are 10, 15, 0, and 20. I don’t think he is technically sound,” Amir added.

Despite his recent failures, Abhishek has an aggressive record in T20Is. In 41 matches, he has scored 1,297 runs with a brilliant strike rate of 192.43. 

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has compared India opener Abhishek Sharma to Pakistan’s Saim Ayub, saying both players have faced similar challenges early in their careers. Abhishek is yet to open his account in the T20 World Cup 2026, having been dismissed for duck in all three matches he has played and also missed one game due to a serious stomach infection. Amir believes Abhishek is trying to hit every ball for a big shot, adding that while this approach may work sometimes, but in international cricket, bowlers will soon find out your weakness. “Saim (Ayub) had the same issue when he came to play the PSL a few years back. He was new and was hitting no-look shots. Nobody knew his weakness because most of his shots were on the leg side. Now, if you bowl at the third or fourth stump line, he struggles to decide. Even in his last two matches, he was dismissed playing on the offside. Unless he improves his offside game, he cannot progress. Strong bowlers will always test your weakness and push you out of your comfort zone. Same for Abhishek. He wants every ball in the slot so he can hit. But at the bigger stages, or in ODIs, har ball lapete mein nahi le sakte (you cannot slog every ball in pressure cricket). Salman Agha and Aryna Dutta got him out in a similar fashion. International cricket will expose you,” Amir said while speaking on the show Haarna Mana hai. Also Read - NZ vs PAK, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8: Check live streaming details, head-to-head, pitch & weather report In the group stage matches of T20 World Cup 2026, Abhishek was out for a golden duck against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium. In the next match against Pakistan in Colombo, he mistimed a pull shot off captain Salman Agha and got out in the first over. Against the Netherlands, he again fell for duck after missing a pull shot against off-spinner Aryan Dutt. Despite his recent failures, Abhishek has an aggressive record in T20Is. In 41 matches, he has scored 1,297 runs with a brilliant strike rate of 192.43. After the Pakistan match, Amir called Abhishek “just a slogger.” He said that the batter attacks every ball and may succeed once in several innings, but often scores only runs like 10, 15 or 20. Amir also questioned his technique. “By whatever little I have seen, if you ask me honestly, I feel he is just a slogger. He has to go hard at every ball. The day he gets going, it’s fine; otherwise, uske failure ke chances zyaada hain (The chances of his failure are high). He scores once in 8 innings. Otherwise, his scores are 10, 15, 0, and 20. I don’t think he is technically sound,” Amir added.

Despite his recent failures, Abhishek has an aggressive record in T20Is. In 41 matches, he has scored 1,297 runs with a brilliant strike rate of 192.43.&nbsp;

‘International cricket will expose you’: Mohammad Amir on Abhishek Sharma’s T20 World Cup 2026 struggles

Abhishek Sharma’s dismal 2026 T20 World Cup went from bad to worse as the Indian opener was dismissed for a third consecutive duck. Playing against the Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday (Feb 18), Abhishek was dismissed for a duck, meaning he is yet to score a single run in the T20 World Cup 2026. His form comes as a huge concern for the Indian team as they will be playing in the Super 8 stage of the tournament starting Sunday.<h2>Abhishek fails again</h2>Having been dismissed for a golden duck against the USA, Abhishek had to skip the Namibia clash due to health issues. However, his return to the Indian team in the Pakistan match did not go according to plan as he was dismissed for a four-ball duck. But the worst was yet to come as he was dismissed for another duck on Wednesday. This meant he joined the unfortunate club with a hat-trick of ducks on the international stage.Interestingly, it was also Abhishek’s fourth duck in seven T20I innings, recounting his bad run of form.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-chris-gayle-to-brendon-mccullum-5-batters-to-score-fastest-t20-world-cup-hundreds-rilee-rossouw-ahmed-shehzad-1768553361691">From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds</a><h3>Most consecutive ducks in Men’s T20 WC</h3>3 - Ashish Nehra (IND, 2010-2016)3 - Andre Fletcher (WI, 2009)3 - Roger Mukasa (UGA, 2024)3 - Abhishek Sharma (IND, 2025)&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/meet-indians-to-score-most-runs-in-each-of-last-5-t20-world-cups-ft-virat-kohli-kl-rahul-rohit-sharma-2026-t20-world-cup-1768479871185">Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli</a><h2>What happened in India’s innings?</h2>Batting first, Abhishek’s torrid form saw him being dismissed for a duck on the third ball of the innings. However, Tilak Varma (31) and Ishan Kishan (18) steadied the ship with a 39-run stand for the third wicket before the latter was dismissed in the fifth over. Varma and Suryakumar Yadav (34) then stitched 30 runs for the third wicket before the former was dismissed, with Shivam Dube coming in.&nbsp;Dube took the initiative into his own hands and smashed a quickfire 66 off 31 deliveries. His innings consisted of 6 sixes and 4 fours and scored with a strike rate of more than 200. Alongside Dube, Hardik Pandya also smashed 30 off 21, helping India score 193/6 in their 20 overs.

Having been dismissed for a golden duck against the USA, Abhishek Sharma had to skip the Namibia clash due to health issues. However, his return to the Indian team in the Pakistan match did not go according to plan as he was dismissed for a four-ball duck.

Abhishek Sharma’s dismal 2026 T20 World Cup went from bad to worse as the Indian opener was dismissed for a third consecutive duck. Playing against the Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday (Feb 18), Abhishek was dismissed for a duck, meaning he is yet to score a single run in the T20 World Cup 2026. His form comes as a huge concern for the Indian team as they will be playing in the Super 8 stage of the tournament starting Sunday. Abhishek fails again Having been dismissed for a golden duck against the USA, Abhishek had to skip the Namibia clash due to health issues. However, his return to the Indian team in the Pakistan match did not go according to plan as he was dismissed for a four-ball duck. But the worst was yet to come as he was dismissed for another duck on Wednesday. This meant he joined the unfortunate club with a hat-trick of ducks on the international stage. Interestingly, it was also Abhishek’s fourth duck in seven T20I innings, recounting his bad run of form. ALSO READ | From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds Most consecutive ducks in Men’s T20 WC 3 - Ashish Nehra (IND, 2010-2016) 3 - Andre Fletcher (WI, 2009) 3 - Roger Mukasa (UGA, 2024) 3 - Abhishek Sharma (IND, 2025) ALSO READ | Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli What happened in India’s innings? Batting first, Abhishek’s torrid form saw him being dismissed for a duck on the third ball of the innings. However, Tilak Varma (31) and Ishan Kishan (18) steadied the ship with a 39-run stand for the third wicket before the latter was dismissed in the fifth over. Varma and Suryakumar Yadav (34) then stitched 30 runs for the third wicket before the former was dismissed, with Shivam Dube coming in. Dube took the initiative into his own hands and smashed a quickfire 66 off 31 deliveries. His innings consisted of 6 sixes and 4 fours and scored with a strike rate of more than 200. Alongside Dube, Hardik Pandya also smashed 30 off 21, helping India score 193/6 in their 20 overs.

Having been dismissed for a golden duck against the USA, Abhishek Sharma had to skip the Namibia clash due to health issues. However, his return to the Indian team in the Pakistan match did not go according to plan as he was dismissed for a four-ball duck.

Bad to worse! Abhishek Sharma joins unfortunate club with third consecutive duck in 2026 T20 World Cup

Indian opener Abhishek Sharma has just recovered from the stomach infection that saw him miss the Namibia game and register two ducks in the remaining two matches (against the USA and Pakistan) at the ongoing T20 World Cup. Still, it’s not even a worrying sign for his team’s batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak. As Team India readies for its last Group-A game against the Netherlands on Wednesday (Feb 18) in Ahmedabad, all eyes will be on Sharma, who is yet to open his account in his maiden ICC tournament.&nbsp;Abhishek Sharma was hospitalised in Delhi ahead of the marquee Pakistan tie in Colombo, and upon his return to the side, he failed to get going as he got out on a four-ball duck inside the first over. Although Ishan Kishan’s blitz at the top saved India’s grace across all contested matches thus far, the tournament’s co-host needs <a href="T20 World Cup 2026 | 'Important to adapt:' India batting coach Kotak not worried about Abhishek's twin ducks">Abhishek to hit the reset button ahead of the Super 8 stage</a>. &nbsp;Meanwhile, having entered the competition on the back of a successful run in bilaterals, Abhishek aims to make the best of his chance in this dead-rubber in Ahmedabad and return to doing what he does best – smashing bowlers for fun. Speaking of his lean patch thus far, Kotak said the last thing he will do is over-analyse this whole situation, knowing Abhishek’s condition and what he brings to the table when he finds his rhythm.<h2>‘No over-analysing’</h2>"The one thing we definitely don't unnecessarily do is over-analyse," Kotak said of Abhishek’s pattern of dismissals. &nbsp;"Sometimes you [as batters] start making more assumptions than the opposition do. He has his plans sorted, he follows the way he wants to, and obviously, we discuss the opposition, their bowling, their strengths, what they've been doing - all that is normal for everyone, not just Abhishek. &nbsp;"Before he fell ill, he made runs. In the T20 format, (also) sometimes a 10-ball 30 is as important. It's not like he hasn't scored runs. T20 format is high-risk; someone will get out [playing attacking cricket]. If we stress so much on it [the occasional failures], players will be under pressure. He is in good form, he has got clear plans, has a clear mindset, and that's what matters to us,” Kotak continued. &nbsp;India has qualified for the Super 8s, having won three games from as many league stage matches. Regardless of the result against the Dutch, India will top (Group A) and face South Africa (Feb 22 in Ahmedabad), Zimbabwe (Feb 26 in Chennai) and West Indies (Mar 1 in Kolkata) in the next round. &nbsp;The top two teams from India’s group will advance to the semis.&nbsp;

"Not Over-analysing": India coach Sitanshu Kotak backs Abhishek Sharma to find his rhythm in the Netherlands clash at Ahmedabad. After a health scare and two ducks, can India's explosive opener hit the reset button before the Super 8s? Read the latest from the Indian camp.

Indian opener Abhishek Sharma has just recovered from the stomach infection that saw him miss the Namibia game and register two ducks in the remaining two matches (against the USA and Pakistan) at the ongoing T20 World Cup. Still, it’s not even a worrying sign for his team’s batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak. As Team India readies for its last Group-A game against the Netherlands on Wednesday (Feb 18) in Ahmedabad, all eyes will be on Sharma, who is yet to open his account in his maiden ICC tournament. Abhishek Sharma was hospitalised in Delhi ahead of the marquee Pakistan tie in Colombo, and upon his return to the side, he failed to get going as he got out on a four-ball duck inside the first over. Although Ishan Kishan’s blitz at the top saved India’s grace across all contested matches thus far, the tournament’s co-host needs Abhishek to hit the reset button ahead of the Super 8 stage. Meanwhile, having entered the competition on the back of a successful run in bilaterals, Abhishek aims to make the best of his chance in this dead-rubber in Ahmedabad and return to doing what he does best – smashing bowlers for fun. Speaking of his lean patch thus far, Kotak said the last thing he will do is over-analyse this whole situation, knowing Abhishek’s condition and what he brings to the table when he finds his rhythm. ‘No over-analysing’ "The one thing we definitely don't unnecessarily do is over-analyse," Kotak said of Abhishek’s pattern of dismissals. "Sometimes you [as batters] start making more assumptions than the opposition do. He has his plans sorted, he follows the way he wants to, and obviously, we discuss the opposition, their bowling, their strengths, what they've been doing - all that is normal for everyone, not just Abhishek. "Before he fell ill, he made runs. In the T20 format, (also) sometimes a 10-ball 30 is as important. It's not like he hasn't scored runs. T20 format is high-risk; someone will get out [playing attacking cricket]. If we stress so much on it [the occasional failures], players will be under pressure. He is in good form, he has got clear plans, has a clear mindset, and that's what matters to us,” Kotak continued. India has qualified for the Super 8s, having won three games from as many league stage matches. Regardless of the result against the Dutch, India will top (Group A) and face South Africa (Feb 22 in Ahmedabad), Zimbabwe (Feb 26 in Chennai) and West Indies (Mar 1 in Kolkata) in the next round. The top two teams from India’s group will advance to the semis.

After a health scare and two ducks, can India's explosive opener hit the reset button before the Super 8s? Read the latest from the Indian camp.

Super 8 Prep at T20 World Cup: Why Netherlands clash is ultimate 'form reset' for Abhishek Sharma

India made two key changes to their Playing XI for the Pakistan match in the T20 World Cup 2026, as Abhishek Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav returning to the side. Playing at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, the changes were confirmed by Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav at the toss, where Pakistan won the flip of the coin and opted to bowl first. Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh and Sanju Samson missed out. Meanwhile, the Men in Green have opted to go with an unchanged XI from their previous outing.<h2>Abhishek, Kuldeep in, Arshdeep, Samson out</h2>Abhishek Sharma returned to the top of the batting order, replacing Sanju Samson. Mystery spinner Kuldeep Yadav replaces Arshdeep Singh in the team. With Kuldeep’s return, India now have more spin options, aiming to make the most of the turning pitch in Colombo.&nbsp;The 25-year old had missed India’s previous match against Namibia in Delhi due to illness. However, he trained with the team on Saturday and looked in good touch. The left-hander appeared fully fit in the nets, playing confidently. He batted against spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy and hit them powerfully around the ground at the R. Premadasa Stadium before shifting to face the pacers.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/aus-vs-sl-t20-world-cup-2026-match-30-check-live-streaming-details-head-to-head-pitch-weather-report-1771153953535">AUS vs SL, T20 World Cup 2026 Match 30: Check live streaming details, head-to-head, pitch &amp; weather report</a><h2>India Playing XI vs Pakistan</h2>India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy and Jasprit Bumrah<h2>Pakistan Playing XI vs India</h2>Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha (c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmad and Usman Tariq

Playing at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, the changes were confirmed by Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav at the toss, where Pakistan won the flip of the coin and opted to bowl first. 

India made two key changes to their Playing XI for the Pakistan match in the T20 World Cup 2026, as Abhishek Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav returning to the side. Playing at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, the changes were confirmed by Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav at the toss, where Pakistan won the flip of the coin and opted to bowl first. Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh and Sanju Samson missed out. Meanwhile, the Men in Green have opted to go with an unchanged XI from their previous outing. Abhishek, Kuldeep in, Arshdeep, Samson out Abhishek Sharma returned to the top of the batting order, replacing Sanju Samson. Mystery spinner Kuldeep Yadav replaces Arshdeep Singh in the team. With Kuldeep’s return, India now have more spin options, aiming to make the most of the turning pitch in Colombo. The 25-year old had missed India’s previous match against Namibia in Delhi due to illness. However, he trained with the team on Saturday and looked in good touch. The left-hander appeared fully fit in the nets, playing confidently. He batted against spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy and hit them powerfully around the ground at the R. Premadasa Stadium before shifting to face the pacers. Also Read - AUS vs SL, T20 World Cup 2026 Match 30: Check live streaming details, head-to-head, pitch & weather report India Playing XI vs Pakistan India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy and Jasprit Bumrah Pakistan Playing XI vs India Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha (c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmad and Usman Tariq

Playing at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, the changes were confirmed by Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav at the toss, where Pakistan won the flip of the coin and opted to bowl first.&nbsp;

IND vs PAK, T20 World Cup 2026: Abhishek Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav return to Playing XI; Arshdeep, Samson miss out

India batter Abhishek Sharma missed the T20 World Cup 2026 match against Namibia on Feb 12 as he recovers from a stomach bug but is expected to play the high-octane Pakistan match on Sunday (Feb 15). In Abhishek's absence, Sanju Samson was given a chance to open alongside Ishan Kishan but failed to convert his 8-ball 22 into a big score. Kishan, on the other end, hit a brilliant 24-ball 61 with 6 fours and 5 sixes, effectively sealing his place as one of the two openers in the side.<h2>Will Abhishek Sharma play against Pakistan - Varun Chakaravarthy reveals</h2>"I think he (Abhishek) will play the next match," Varun said after India beat Namibia. "I don't know. As far as I have spoken to him, he looks good. He did some practice today. He said he is on the way." Skipper Suryakumar Yadav also spoke about the opener's fitness and said: "He will take a game or two, I don't know."Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-2026-we-are-helpless-bangladesh-players-on-being-blamed-for-boycott-1770882564664">T20 WC 2026 | 'We are helpless:' Bangladesh players on being blamed for boycott</a>Abhishek, playing his first T20 World Cup, is pivotal to India's title defence. His ability to score lightning runs in the powerplay gives the team an edge and a platform to build a good score. The left-hand opener did play against the USA but got out on a golden duck. He missed the Namibia match because of stomach bug for which he was hospitalised as well before being discharged on Wednesday (Feb 11).<h2>India vs Namibia - Match summary</h2>Batting first in New Delhi, India started well and hit 86 runs in the powerplay for loss off just one wicket. Kishan and Tilak Varma had added 79 runs for the second wicket after Samson was out on the last ball of the 2nd over. A couple of quick wickets followed after Kishan was out in the 8th over as India's score became 104/1 to 124/4 in space of 5 overs. Hardik Pandya then hit a blistering 28-ball 52 and added 81 runs for the 5th wicket with Shivam Dube to take the team past 200. India then lost four wickets for 1 run before finishing on 209/9 in 20 overs.Namibia were never in chase despite decent top order batting which saw them score 67 runs in 7 overs for just 1 wicket. Spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel combined for 5 wickets for just 27 runs in 5 overs between them, effectively pulling a full stop of to their chase. India eventually bowled out Namibia for 116 in 18.2 overs, winning the match by 93 runs.

Abhishek, playing his first T20 World Cup, is pivotal to India's title defence. He did play against the USA but got out on a golden duck. He missed the Namibia match because of stomach bug for which he was hospitalised.

India batter Abhishek Sharma missed the T20 World Cup 2026 match against Namibia on Feb 12 as he recovers from a stomach bug but is expected to play the high-octane Pakistan match on Sunday (Feb 15). In Abhishek's absence, Sanju Samson was given a chance to open alongside Ishan Kishan but failed to convert his 8-ball 22 into a big score. Kishan, on the other end, hit a brilliant 24-ball 61 with 6 fours and 5 sixes, effectively sealing his place as one of the two openers in the side. Will Abhishek Sharma play against Pakistan - Varun Chakaravarthy reveals "I think he (Abhishek) will play the next match," Varun said after India beat Namibia. "I don't know. As far as I have spoken to him, he looks good. He did some practice today. He said he is on the way." Skipper Suryakumar Yadav also spoke about the opener's fitness and said: "He will take a game or two, I don't know." Also Read - T20 WC 2026 | 'We are helpless:' Bangladesh players on being blamed for boycott Abhishek, playing his first T20 World Cup, is pivotal to India's title defence. His ability to score lightning runs in the powerplay gives the team an edge and a platform to build a good score. The left-hand opener did play against the USA but got out on a golden duck. He missed the Namibia match because of stomach bug for which he was hospitalised as well before being discharged on Wednesday (Feb 11). India vs Namibia - Match summary Batting first in New Delhi, India started well and hit 86 runs in the powerplay for loss off just one wicket. Kishan and Tilak Varma had added 79 runs for the second wicket after Samson was out on the last ball of the 2nd over. A couple of quick wickets followed after Kishan was out in the 8th over as India's score became 104/1 to 124/4 in space of 5 overs. Hardik Pandya then hit a blistering 28-ball 52 and added 81 runs for the 5th wicket with Shivam Dube to take the team past 200. India then lost four wickets for 1 run before finishing on 209/9 in 20 overs. Namibia were never in chase despite decent top order batting which saw them score 67 runs in 7 overs for just 1 wicket. Spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel combined for 5 wickets for just 27 runs in 5 overs between them, effectively pulling a full stop of to their chase. India eventually bowled out Namibia for 116 in 18.2 overs, winning the match by 93 runs.

Abhishek, playing his first T20 World Cup, is pivotal to India's title defence. He did play against the USA but got out on a golden duck. He missed the Namibia match because of stomach bug for which he was hospitalised.

T20 World Cup 2026 | 'I don't know:' India skipper SKY on Abhishek's availability for Pakistan match

India made two key changes to their Playing XI for the Namibia match in the T20 World Cup as Jasprit Bumrah and Sanju Samson returned. Playing at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, the changes were confirmed by Indian captain Suruyakumar Yadav at the toss, where Namibia decided to bowl first, winning the flip of the coin. On the other hand, Mohammed Siraj missed out while Abhishek Sharma was yet to recover from his recent health issues.<h2>Samson, Bumrah in; Siraj, Abhishek out</h2>Having struggled with a fever during the opening match against the USA, things did not go well for Abhishek after arriving in Delhi and he was rushed to the hospital. Although he was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, Abhishek was not able to make the match-day squad, with Samson coming in. Samson has been struggling with form in recent times, and the opportunity to play in the Namibia match came as a welcome addition to regain his form.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-chris-gayle-to-brendon-mccullum-5-batters-to-score-fastest-t20-world-cup-hundreds-rilee-rossouw-ahmed-shehzad-1768553361691">From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds</a>&nbsp;However, Samson failed to make the most of the chance as he was dismissed for 22 off 8. He did score three sixes and a four but was dismissed by Ben Shikongo, having failed to put away a ball in the mid-wicket region. The opportunity means Samson will likely be dropped in favour of Abhishek once he is fit.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/meet-indians-to-score-most-runs-in-each-of-last-5-t20-world-cups-ft-virat-kohli-kl-rahul-rohit-sharma-2026-t20-world-cup-1768479871185">Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli</a>&nbsp;Other change in the Indian team saw Bumrah come into the team while Siraj missed out in a rotational change for Team India.&nbsp;<h2>India Playing XI vs Namibia</h2>India (Playing XI): Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan(w), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.

Playing at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, the changes were confirmed by Indian captain Suruyakumar Yadav at the toss, where Namibia decided to bowl first, winning the flip of the coin. 

India made two key changes to their Playing XI for the Namibia match in the T20 World Cup as Jasprit Bumrah and Sanju Samson returned. Playing at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, the changes were confirmed by Indian captain Suruyakumar Yadav at the toss, where Namibia decided to bowl first, winning the flip of the coin. On the other hand, Mohammed Siraj missed out while Abhishek Sharma was yet to recover from his recent health issues. Samson, Bumrah in; Siraj, Abhishek out Having struggled with a fever during the opening match against the USA, things did not go well for Abhishek after arriving in Delhi and he was rushed to the hospital. Although he was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, Abhishek was not able to make the match-day squad, with Samson coming in. Samson has been struggling with form in recent times, and the opportunity to play in the Namibia match came as a welcome addition to regain his form. ALSO READ | From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds However, Samson failed to make the most of the chance as he was dismissed for 22 off 8. He did score three sixes and a four but was dismissed by Ben Shikongo, having failed to put away a ball in the mid-wicket region. The opportunity means Samson will likely be dropped in favour of Abhishek once he is fit. ALSO READ | Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli Other change in the Indian team saw Bumrah come into the team while Siraj missed out in a rotational change for Team India. India Playing XI vs Namibia India (Playing XI): Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan(w), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.

Playing at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, the changes were confirmed by Indian captain Suruyakumar Yadav at the toss, where Namibia decided to bowl first, winning the flip of the coin.&nbsp;

T20 World Cup 2026: Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson return to Playing XI; Abhishek, Siraj miss out

Team India readies for its second league game against Namibia at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Delhi on Thursday (Feb 12). After opening its account against the USA in its tournament opener, the co-host faces another associate nation, with several changes in the playing XI looming. Opener Abhishek Sharma remains highly unlikely to feature in the XI despite getting discharged from the hospital for a stomach infection, with backup opener Sanju Samson likely to replace him in the playing XI. Ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the USA match due to illness, will also return to the side for India’s second match.&nbsp;On the other hand, Team India escaped an injury scare as in-form opener Ishan Kishan suffered a blow to his ankle while batting on the match eve in Delhi. Facing Jasprit Bumrah in the nets, Ishan endured a painful Yorker off the ace seamer, struggling to even stand for some time after that.&nbsp;However, the BCCI hasn’t made any official announcement about his injury, indicating Ishan could regain full fitness in time for the Namibia game.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-2026-make-of-that-what-you-want-namibia-skipper-slams-no-night-training-session-before-india-match-1770873142244">T20 World Cup 2026 | 'Make of that what you want:' Namibia skipper slams no night training session before India match</a><h2>Team India’s predicted playing XI for the Namibia game –</h2>Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakaravarthy &nbsp;Playing conditions and weather report –&nbsp; &nbsp;The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi could provide a banger wicket, a paradise for the batters, also considering its smaller dimensions. However, naturally slow and low in nature, the surface on offer is likely to have something for everyone. &nbsp;Weather conditions -&nbsp; &nbsp;The rain Gods would stay away for the India vs Namibia tie as the temperature would drop (from 21 degrees to 17 degrees) during the match time, and with clearer skies, it would become a perfect stage for this Group A game. &nbsp;Check our Namibia’s predicted playing XI –&nbsp; &nbsp;Louren Steenkamp, Jan Frylinck, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus (c), JJ Smit, Zane Green (wk), Dylan Leicher, Ruben Trumpelmann, Willem Myburgh, Bernard Scholtz, Max Heingo &nbsp;Meanwhile, India won its previous match against the USA, and Namibia is entering this contest on the back of a loss to the Netherlands in its tournament opener. A win here for India would strengthen its position on the points table, with the Pakistan game looming next.&nbsp;

India and Namibia will face off for the second time in T20 World Cup history, having earlier clashed in the 2021 edition, where Team India emerged victorious with nine wickets. 

Team India readies for its second league game against Namibia at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Delhi on Thursday (Feb 12). After opening its account against the USA in its tournament opener, the co-host faces another associate nation, with several changes in the playing XI looming. Opener Abhishek Sharma remains highly unlikely to feature in the XI despite getting discharged from the hospital for a stomach infection, with backup opener Sanju Samson likely to replace him in the playing XI. Ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the USA match due to illness, will also return to the side for India’s second match. On the other hand, Team India escaped an injury scare as in-form opener Ishan Kishan suffered a blow to his ankle while batting on the match eve in Delhi. Facing Jasprit Bumrah in the nets, Ishan endured a painful Yorker off the ace seamer, struggling to even stand for some time after that. However, the BCCI hasn’t made any official announcement about his injury, indicating Ishan could regain full fitness in time for the Namibia game. Also read | T20 World Cup 2026 | 'Make of that what you want:' Namibia skipper slams no night training session before India match Team India’s predicted playing XI for the Namibia game – Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakaravarthy Playing conditions and weather report – The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi could provide a banger wicket, a paradise for the batters, also considering its smaller dimensions. However, naturally slow and low in nature, the surface on offer is likely to have something for everyone. Weather conditions - The rain Gods would stay away for the India vs Namibia tie as the temperature would drop (from 21 degrees to 17 degrees) during the match time, and with clearer skies, it would become a perfect stage for this Group A game. Check our Namibia’s predicted playing XI – Louren Steenkamp, Jan Frylinck, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus (c), JJ Smit, Zane Green (wk), Dylan Leicher, Ruben Trumpelmann, Willem Myburgh, Bernard Scholtz, Max Heingo Meanwhile, India won its previous match against the USA, and Namibia is entering this contest on the back of a loss to the Netherlands in its tournament opener. A win here for India would strengthen its position on the points table, with the Pakistan game looming next.

India and Namibia will face off for the second time in T20 World Cup history, having earlier clashed in the 2021 edition, where Team India emerged victorious with nine wickets.&nbsp;

India vs Namibia in T20 World Cup: Abhishek out, Samson to open and Bumrah returns; check India’s potential XI

India opener Abhishek Sharma has been discharged from hospital ahead of T20 World Cup 2026 match against Namibia but his participation in the match remains uncertain. India play Namibia in Group A fixture on Thursday (Feb 12) at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Abhishek, who was admitted to hospital following a stomach infection, was discharged on Wednesday (Feb 11), confirmed Tilak Varma on the eve of India vs Namibia match. Varma also confirmed that a call on dashing opener's participation will be taken on match day, that is Thursday (Feb 12), ahead of the contest. In case Abhishek, who got out on golden duck against USA in India's first match on Feb 7, does not make it to playing XI, Sanju Samson can get a chance to open along with Ishan Kishan.<h2>Tilak offers update on Abhishek's health ahead of India vs Namibia T20 WC 2026 match</h2>“When we reached Delhi, Abhishek needed examinations," Varma told reporters on the eve (Feb 11) of the match against Namibia. "So all that went fine, he has been discharged from hospital today. We have got one more day left before the game tomorrow so we will decide by tomorrow, check how he feels and then take a call."Also Watch: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-wc-2026-thriller-for-ages-watch-sa-vs-afg-double-super-over-drama-at-narendra-modi-stadium-in-ahmedabad-1770806597881">T20 WC 2026: SA vs AFG double super over drama in Ahmedabad</a>Varma also confirmed that ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the first match with illness, is fit and expected to be back for second match of India's title defence."He is doing better and as I said, we have got one more day. So, hopefully, he will be back in the team. If he is doing better, then team takes a call and I think he will be back tomorrow for the second game," Varma said.<h2>India get Ishan Kishan injury scare</h2>Ahead of the match against Namibia, India batter Ishan Kishan faced an injury scare during practice. Kishan was rapped on pads during nets by a Bumrah bowl and was in pain. The batter, however, is most likely to play against Namibia and if not, India could be in a soup for an opener with Abhishek Sharma already uncertain because of his stomach issue.

bhishek, who was admitted to hospital following a stomach infection, was discharged on Wednesday (Feb 11), confirmed Tilak Varma on the eve of India vs Namibia match. Varma also confirmed that a call on dashing opener's participation will be taken on match day, that is Thursday (Feb 12).

India opener Abhishek Sharma has been discharged from hospital ahead of T20 World Cup 2026 match against Namibia but his participation in the match remains uncertain. India play Namibia in Group A fixture on Thursday (Feb 12) at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Abhishek, who was admitted to hospital following a stomach infection, was discharged on Wednesday (Feb 11), confirmed Tilak Varma on the eve of India vs Namibia match. Varma also confirmed that a call on dashing opener's participation will be taken on match day, that is Thursday (Feb 12), ahead of the contest. In case Abhishek, who got out on golden duck against USA in India's first match on Feb 7, does not make it to playing XI, Sanju Samson can get a chance to open along with Ishan Kishan. Tilak offers update on Abhishek's health ahead of India vs Namibia T20 WC 2026 match “When we reached Delhi, Abhishek needed examinations," Varma told reporters on the eve (Feb 11) of the match against Namibia. "So all that went fine, he has been discharged from hospital today. We have got one more day left before the game tomorrow so we will decide by tomorrow, check how he feels and then take a call." Also Watch: T20 WC 2026: SA vs AFG double super over drama in Ahmedabad Varma also confirmed that ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the first match with illness, is fit and expected to be back for second match of India's title defence. "He is doing better and as I said, we have got one more day. So, hopefully, he will be back in the team. If he is doing better, then team takes a call and I think he will be back tomorrow for the second game," Varma said. India get Ishan Kishan injury scare Ahead of the match against Namibia, India batter Ishan Kishan faced an injury scare during practice. Kishan was rapped on pads during nets by a Bumrah bowl and was in pain. The batter, however, is most likely to play against Namibia and if not, India could be in a soup for an opener with Abhishek Sharma already uncertain because of his stomach issue.

bhishek, who was admitted to hospital following a stomach infection, was discharged on Wednesday (Feb 11), confirmed Tilak Varma on the eve of India vs Namibia match. Varma also confirmed that a call on dashing opener's participation will be taken on match day, that is Thursday (Feb 12).

T20 WC 2026 | India opener Abhishek Sharma discharged from hospital, will he play vs Namibia - Here's what Tilak Varma said

India's opening batter Abhishek Sharma has been discharged from a hospital in New Delhi, but the 25-year-old, who was hospitalised due to a stomach bug, remains a doubt for Thursday’s T20 World Cup match against Namibia.

T20 World Cup: Abhishek Sharma Discharged From Hospital but Remains a Doubt for Namibia Clash

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