Will Sanju Samson play tonight for IND vs USA in T20 World Cup 2026?
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Sanju Samson scored just 46 runs in the T20I series against the New Zealand ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026.
India will begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against the USA in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on February 7, Saturday. The tournament also kicks off on Saturday with as many as three matches scheduled on the opening day.
The IND vs USA match is the third of the three matches on the opening day of the tournament, which is hosted by India, along with Sri Lanka.
India, who are the defending champions, are already being tagged as favourites to win the tournament. They are also eyeing history to become the first team to win the tournament back-to-back as they have got all the bases covered.
The Indian team won back-to-back T20I series against South Africa and New Zealand, leading into the World Cup. If we talk about the concerns, Sanju Samson seems to be the only one in batting department. He returned to the opening spot in the last T20I against South Africa, but failed completely in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand.
Also read: Will Mohammed Siraj play tonight for IND vs USA in T20 World Cup 2026?
In the five matches in the series, he scored only 46 runs with scores reading – 10,6,0,24 and 6 with an average of just 9.2.
Will Sanju Samson play IND vs USA clash in T20 World Cup 2026?
On the other hand, Ishan Kishan, who was named in the T20 World Cup 2026 squad, cashed in on his opportunity at number three and scored crucial runs for his team. He played four matches in the series and missed one of the games with an injury.
His scores in the series read – 8, 76, 28 and 103 and the century in the final T20I sealed the deal for him. He was also seen donning the keeping gloves when India defended the target, making it clear that he will be India’s first-choice opener along with Abhishek Sharma for India in the T20 World Cup 2026.
He is in some terrific hitting form and makes a formidable opening pair for India along with Abhishek. His batting firepower up at the top is key in giving India quick starts in the tournament. He has already given a glimpse of what he is capable of in the series against the Kiwis.
Kishan is now all the more deserving of a place in the Indian side after he recently won the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy for Jharkhand as captain. He played a major role in Jharkhand’s successful campaign, scoring 517 runs with the bat at an average of 57.44.
He also opened for India in the warmup game against South Africa, which was a clear hint that Sanju Samson will have to warm the bench. The reports in Indian Express also claimed that Samson won’t be there as the management will give nod ahead to Kishan in IND vs USA clash.
Who will India take on in their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign opener?
India will take on the USA in their campaign opener in the T20 World Cup 2026.
How many runs Ishan Kishan scored in the T20I series against NZ?
Ishan Kishan scored 215 runs against NZ at an average of 53.75 and a strike rate of 231.18.
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Anshuman Roy is a senior cricket journalist with nearly a decade of experience covering the game. His love for cricket began in childhood, playing at school and college level before turning that passion into a profession. Over the years, he has written for several reputed media houses and specialises in news, features, previews, reviews, match reports, and opinion pieces.