IND vs PAK, T20 World Cup: Abhishek Sharma's Availability Under Cloud Ahead of Marquee Clash

Team India is monitoring Abhishek Sharma’s fitness ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 clash vs Pakistan after a stomach infection. Despite light training, his availability is uncertain, with experts like Aaron Finch warning against rushing him back.

With a day left for the much-anticipated T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan, Team India management appears to be monitoring Abhishek Sharma’s fitness after an illness, leaving the uncertainty whether maurauding opener will be fit to feature in one of the tournament’s biggest games at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, February 15.

Abhishet suffered a physical setback due to a stomach infection, for which he was admitted to a local hospital in New Delhi, where he was under medical observation for two days before being discharged. However, the southpaw was ruled out of the match against Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, which the Men in Blue won by 93 runs to secure two consecutive victories in their quest for the title defence.

In Abhishek Sharma’s absence, Sanju Samson was drafted into the playing XI as an opener, marking his World Cup debut alongside Ishan Kishan. Samson had a blazing start to his innings before being cut short by his dismissal, scoring 22 runs off 8 balls, including three sixes and a four, at a strike rate of 275.

Abhishek Sharma’s Fitness Concerns

Abhishek Sharma did not have an ideal start to his maiden T20 World Cup, as he was dismissed for a golden duck in the opening match against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. It was reported that the left-handed opener had stomach upset during the match and thus, he did not field in the second innings.

It was expected that Abhishek would not take the field against Namibia as he was discharged from the hospital on the eve of the match. Speaking at the toss, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav said, “Abhishek isn’t fine still, might take one or two games.” This strongly hints that the swashbuckling opener may miss the blockbuster clash at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

However, Varun Charkarvarthy, the star bowler in India’s win over Namibia, gave a fitness update on Abhishek Sharma, stating that the opener had resumed light training and appeared to be on track to be available for the upcoming clash against Pakistan.

“As far as I have spoken to him, he looks good, he did some practice today also. He told me he is on the way,” Chakravarthy said at the post-match press conference.

However, the final decision on Abhishek Sharma’s availability will be taken following the practice session at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo today, as the India squad arrived in Sri Lanka’s capital on February 13.

India Urged to Avoid Rushing Back Abhishek Sharma

As Team India management is closely monitoring Abhishek Sharma’s recovery, former Australia captain and swashbuckling batter Aaron Finch cautioned head coach Gautam Gambhir nd the support staff not to rush the swashbuckling opener back into the playing XI for the high‑voltage clash against Pakistan.

Speaking to India Today during the media interaction, Finch stressed that maurauding opener’s fitness should be carefully managed, advising the team to prioritize his full recovery rather than rushing him back for the clash against Pakistan in Colombo.

“Sanju at the top — he got off to a flyer last night (Thursday, February 12), along with Ishan. As big as the game is, I think India would have their eye on the Super 8s, the semi-final, and the final,” Aaron Finch said.

“So, to me, if Abhishek is still under the weather and you don’t want to take a risk, that’s totally fine, because you understand that you can’t win the tournament in this first phase, but you can certainly lose it.

“And he’s the most damaging player in world cricket, so you want him fit and firing. And if that means he has to take a couple of extra days of rest, then I think that’s something you would absolutely be prepared to do, regardless of how big the India versus Pakistan match is on paper. You want your best players fit and healthy when the business end of the tournament comes around," he added.

The uncertainty over Abhishek Sharma’s availability is a big headache for Team India, who have already suffered a major blow after a knee injury ruled Harshit Rane out of the marquee event. Since the India-Pakistan fixture is as crucial as it gets in the T20 World Cup, the Men in Blue face a delicate balancing act, managing the player fitness while getting their strongest playing XI for one of the tournament’s most high‑pressure encounters.

Why Abhishek Sharma is Important for Team India in Pakistan Clash?

Abhishek Sharma has been a standout batter for Team India in T20Is last year, amassing 859 runs, including a century and 5 fifties, at an average of 42.95 and a strike rate of 193.46 in 41 matches. The southpaw has been central to India’s powerplay dominance over the past couple of years, taking on the opposition bowlers from the first ball.

The 24-year-old has amassed 1297 runs, out of which he has scored 861 runs at a strike rate of 189.64 in the first six overs of an innings. Which means Abhishek Sharma has accounted for around 66% of his total T20I runs in the powerplay, highlighting his importance as a top-order batter for the clash against Team India.

Abhishek met Pakistan thrice, including the final, at the Asia Cup 2025, and amassed 110 runs, including a fifty, at an average of 36.66 and a strike rate of 189.65 in three matches. This highlights his ability to rise to the occasion in the high-pressure encounters and counter Pakistan’s bowling attack with fearless intent.

Therefore, Abhishek Sharma’s availability for the Pakistan clash is far more crucial than it appears on paper, as his presence at the top could dictate the tempo of India’s innings and put immediate pressure on their arch-rivals.