India captain Suryakumar Yadav has confirmed that Abhishek Sharma will feature in the high-voltage T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan on February 15 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
The left-handed opener had missed India's previous game against Namibia due to a stomach infection and was visibly unwell during the tournament opener against the USA, where he fell for a golden duck. His fitness became one of the biggest talking points ahead of the marquee Group A encounter.
Putting speculation to rest, Suryakumar said at the pre-match press conference:
"If Pak wants us to play Abhishek, then done. He will play tomorrow. "
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Interestingly, the conversation around Abhishek's availability had been fuelled by Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha, who
publicly expressed hope that the Indian opener would recover in time.
"I really hope, 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, and I really hope he is recovering well and can play tomorrow," Agha said during his pre-match presser.
Abhishek, who made his T20I debut after India's 2024 World Cup triumph, has quickly built an imposing record in the format. In 38 matches (37 innings), he has scored 1,297 runs at an average of 37.05 and a staggering strike rate of 194.74, including two centuries and eight fifties, with a highest score of 135. He entered this tournament as the world's top-ranked T20I batter.
Against Pakistan specifically, he has accumulated 110 runs in three matches at an average of 36.66 and a strike rate of 189.65, with a best of 74.
Following the Namibia match, Suryakumar had earlier stated that Abhishek "is still not fine" and "will miss a game or two. " The opener had reportedly been hospitalised due to a stomach infection after feeling unwell during a team dinner hosted by head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Now, however, India has regained one of their most destructive batters for cricket's biggest rivalry: a boost that could significantly shape the contest in Colombo.
