India National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match: India captain Suryakumar Yadav has confirmed that opener Abhishek Sharma will play in the T20 World Cup Group A match against Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday, February 15 , 2026. The 24-year-old left-handed batter fell ill on the eve of India’s tournament opener against the United States in Mumbai and was hospitalized in New Delhi for two days with a high fever and acute gastroenteritis.
He was discharged Wednesday but did not train with the team ahead of India’s match against Namibia at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday. In his absence, wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson opened the innings.
His fitness had become a major talking point ahead of the high-profile clash. Addressing the media on the eve of the match, Suryakumar put the speculation to rest. “If you (Pakistan) want him to play, we will play him tomorrow,” he said during a pre-match press conference as quoted by ANI.
The discussion around Sharma’s availability gained attention after Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said he hoped India would field their strongest side. “We all know he is a good player, and I really hope he plays tomorrow because we want to play against the best team they have,” Agha said at his pre-match press conference.
Sharma has a strong record against Pakistan, scoring 110 runs in three matches during the 2025 Asia Cup at an average of 36.67 and a strike rate of 189.66.