Suryakumar says Abhishek may remain unavailable until IND VS PAK clash
Sanju Samson has been named Abhishek Sharma's replacement in India's playing 11 for the Namibia clash
Indian opener Abhishek Sharma
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India skipper Suryakumar Yadav has provided the latest update on Abhishek Sharma’s fitness ahead of India’s ICC T20 World Cup 2026 match against Namibia on Thursday at Arun Jaitely Stadium in New Delhi.
Surya, after being invited to bat first by toss winners Namibia, spoke about the team combination and mentioned that the flamboyant Indian opener Abhishek Sharma has not yet regained fitness and is expected to miss a game or two.
Surya’s statement means India are likely to play their blockbuster game against Pakistan on Sunday also without Abhishek.
Samson named Abhishek’s replacement
India captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that Abhishek Sharma has not yet regained full fitness and will miss at least a couple of matches in the ongoing tournament. Speaking at the toss, Suryakumar said Sanju Samson has been drafted into the playing 11 as a like-for-like replacement, expressing confidence in the wicketkeeper-batter’s ability to provide similar impetus at the top of the order. He added that although Abhishek’s absence is a setback, the side remains assured about its batting depth.
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Abhishek out with stomach infection
Abhishek Sharma was ruled out after suffering a stomach infection after India's opening fixture against USA. He was hospitalised for a couple of days before being discharged. Tilak Verma, speaking at the pre-match press conference on Wednesday, confirmed that Abhishek has been discharged but continues to be under medical observation. The batter did not regain match fitness in time for the Thursday fixture, paving the way for Samson’s inclusion in the playing 11.
Abhishek’s record against Pakistan
If Abhishek does not recover in time for the Pakistan clash, it would be a significant blow for India in the crucial Group A encounter. Since 2024, he has played the aggressor’s role for the Men in Blue during the powerplay, with his brisk starts often laying the foundation for imposing totals.
His absence against Pakistan would be particularly notable given his record against the arch-rivals. In three T20Is against them so far, Abhishek has scored 110 runs at an average of 36.66 and an impressive strike rate of 189.65.
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Topics : ICC T20 World Cup India cricket team Pakistan cricket team India vs Pakistan T20 cricket Cricket News
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First Published: Feb 12 2026 | 6:54 PM IST