Ahead of the marquee India vs Pakistan clash, the Indian team has informally updated the current status of Abhishek Sharma, who missed out on the last
match against Namibia.
Arshdeep Singh shared a fun social media video featuring teammate Abhishek Sharma, marking the opener's first public update since a stomach infection sidelined him from India's T20 World Cup 2026 Group A game against Namibia on Thursday.
Though not yet fully recovered, the dynamic batter discussed his ongoing rehab efforts, including diet changes and weight fluctuations, with the Pakistan showdown looming Sunday. Abhishek was hospitalized and only got discharged on Wednesday, but the team management decided to rest him for the Namibia match.
Abhishek Sharma loses 2 Kgs
Abhishek revealed sticking to a simple regimen of dal and rice for meals. He also disclosed dropping 2kg since his hospital stay for the illness. The footage shows promising signs of improvement amid cautious team monitoring.
"Dal Rice very good. I am good. Few Kgs, Down, Down, Down," Abhishek could be heard saying to Arshdeep in that video.
Update on Abhishek Sharma by Arshdeep Singh, good to know he’s doing good 😄 pic.twitter.com/MbvOzMChmg
- 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵 (@ManishSRH) February 12, 2026
Uncertainty persists over Abhishek's role in the marquee India-Pakistan clash due to lingering effects from acute gastroenteritis and dehydration, which started before the USA opener. Captain Suryakumar Yadav stated Abhishek is "still not fine" and might sit out another match or two, favouring full recovery.
Will Sanju Samson play vs Pakistan?
Medical staff worry about his stamina and strength post-weight loss, despite light nets sessions on Friday. Varun Chakravarthy voiced hope after spotting him practice, but clearance depends on Saturday's training in Colombo. Sanju Samson could pair Ishan Kishan at the top if needed.
Sanju Samson made his T20 World Cup debut in Delhi against Namibia and made a blistering yet short-lived start to his knock. He hit 3 sixes and a boundary but got dismissed after scoring 22 runs off just 8 deliveries. India currently lead the Group A standings and a win over Pakistan would seal their Super Eight qualification.
