IND vs PAK, T20 World Cup 2026: Decision on Abhishek’s fitness to be taken after Saturday training

Abhishek Sharma’s participation in India’s match against Pakistan here depends on his recovery from a stomach bug, but the swashbuckling opener arrived here on Friday with the team, raising hopes of his return at the Premadasa on Sunday.

Abhishek had missed India’s match at New Delhi against Namibia on Thursday despite getting released from a private hospital in the national capital. India will have a net session in the evening here on Saturday, and Abhishek’s fitness will be monitored closely before taking a final call.

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Parents arrive in Colombo

Meanwhile, parents of the India opener too arrived in Colombo ahead of the Pakistan match. Rajkumar Sharma has been a constant source of support for Abhishek, and had coached the left-handed batter from the childhood. The parents were also present in Dubai during the Asia Cup.

If Abhishek continues to be unavailable, then India can either persist with Sanju Samson or bring in fit-again Washington Sundar to pair with Ishan Kishan at the top.

Published on Feb 13, 2026