India faced Namibia in their second T20I match of the T20 World Cup 2026 without opener Abhishek Sharma, who is suffering from a stomach infection and had to spend a night in the hospital.
According to captain Suryakumar, Abhishek is still not well enough to play.
At the toss, the Indian captain remarked:
“Abhishek is still not fine, he will miss a game or two.”
This news raises concerns about his availability for the February 15 match against Pakistan at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, a crucial game for India in the group stage.
The BCCI also provided an official update on Abhishek’s condition:
“Abhishek Sharma is still recovering from his illness and was unavailable for selection. The BCCI medical team is closely monitoring his progress,” read the BCCI statement.
The team management is waiting for more information about his recovery timeline.
Abhishek Battled Fever in First Match
Abhishek had a challenging start in the tournament. In India’s opening match against the USA, he was dismissed without scoring. Reports indicated he played with a high fever during that game and did not take the field in the second innings, confirming he was unwell.
In the match against Namibia, Sanju Samson opened in place of Abhishek and started strong with 22 runs off just 8 balls, but he was dismissed early.
If Abhishek is unable to play against Pakistan, it is likely that Samson will open again alongside Ishan Kishan. The team hopes for Abhishek’s speedy recovery, as his aggressive batting is crucial for a strong start.
His fitness will be closely watched as the match against Pakistan approaches.
