Abhishek Sharma is back in India’s playing XI. The world’s No. 1 T20I batter will open the innings for India with Ishan Kishan in their high-voltage Group A match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 against
Pakistan. For the match scheduled to take place at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Abhishek, who missed the India-Namibia fixture in Delhi on Thursday (February 12) due to a stomach bug, has replaced Sanju Samson in India’s playing XI.
Samson opened the innings for India in their second Group A match of the T20 World Cup 2026 against Namibia but could only manage to score 22 runs from 8 balls.
Along with Abhishek, spinner Kuldeep Yadav is also included in India’s playing XI for the match against Pakistan.
Kuldeep warmed the bench in the first two matches against the USA and Namibia but has replaced Arshdeep Singh for the India-Pakistan match.
Kuldeep, who has 94 wickets to his name in 53 T20I matches played so far, has picked up 8 wickets in three T20I matches against the Pakistani team.
He registered his best bowling figures of 4/30 against Pakistan in the final of the Asia Cup 2025, which was played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 28.
No change for Pakistan
Pakistan have not made any changes to their playing XI for the match against India. They are playing with one specialist pacer – Shaheen Shah Afridi; one fast-bowling all-rounder – Faheem Ashraf; two specialist spinners – Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq; and three spin-bowling all-rounders – Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub.
Like India, Pakistan have also won both their matches played so far in the ongoing tournament, and the winner of Sunday’s match will become the first team from Group A to qualify for the Super 8s of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Pakistan to bowl first
Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha won the toss on Sunday and opted to field first.
Playing XIs
India: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha (C), Babar Azam, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Usman Khan (WK), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq
