Will Abhishek Sharma play tonight for IND vs PAK in T20 World Cup 2026?
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Abhishek Sharma missed India’s T20 World Cup match against Namibia.
India’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign continues with their third Group A fixture against Pakistan at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. After a convincing win over Namibia in Delhi, the Men in Blue prepare for a high-pressure match against their arch rivals.
India hold a strong head-to-head record, having beaten Pakistan seven out of eight times in this event. However, the ongoing geopolitical tensions and off the field drama between these two countries and their respective cricketing associations, make this face-off an intense one.
Despite the result being unlikely to affect either side’s chances of qualifying for the Super 8, there is a lot of pride and respect at stake.
Will Abhishek Sharma play India vs Pakistan clash in T20 World Cup 2026?
A major boost for Team India will be the return of their gun left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma. After skipping the Namibia clash due to sickness and fever, the World No. 1 T20I batter will return to the Indian playing XI. He trained hard in Colombo, batting for an extended session. Also, captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that Sharma will be playing.
His presence makes the top order stronger. Sharma was the most explosive Indian batter in the build-up to the competition, and it remains to be seen if he can resume with the same form upon his return to the side. He played the opening game against USA, but didn’t have a great outing as he bagged a golden duck.
With Sharma’s inclusion, Sanju Samson is all set to be dropped. While he scored a quickfire cameo, Samson failed to utilise the chances that came his way, both during the India vs New Zealand series and in the group-stage match against Namibia.
Will Abhishek Sharma play against Pakistan?
Yes. He has recovered from illness and is expected to return to the playing XI.
Who will Abhishek Sharma replace if he plays against Pakistan?
Sanju Samson is set to be dropped from the XI.
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Aniruddh Seshadri Iyer is a passionate sports journalist at Khel Now, specializing in tennis and Olympic sports. An engineer by training, he found his storytelling passion through iconic Grand Slam and Olympic moments. Known for sharp analysis and insightful coverage, he draws inspiration from Novak Djokovic’s resilience. Outside journalism, he enjoys reading, traveling, and playing the guitar.