Injury scare for India days before T20 World Cup as Harshit Rana limps off during warm-up clash against South Africa

NEW DELHI: Team India suffered a fresh injury concern just days before the T20 World Cup, scheduled to start on Saturday (February 7), after young pacer Harshit Rana limped off the field during their warm-up match against South Africa at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday evening.

Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

With uncertainty already surrounding spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar’s fitness, Rana’s exit added to the defending champions’ worries ahead of the global event. The 24-year-old Delhi pacer bowled just one over, conceding 16 runs, before walking off in visible discomfort and taking no further part in the contest.




Rana appeared troubled during his over, pulling out of his delivery stride on two occasions. Moments later, he was seen clutching his knee and hobbling off the field, sparking concern among teammates and the support staff. An official update from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is still awaited, leaving fans and team management anxious about the severity of the issue.

The latest scare comes as India continue to monitor Washington Sundar, who sustained an injury during the first ODI against New Zealand and is yet to join the World Cup camp. With the tournament fast approaching, the team will hope for positive news on both players’ fitness.

There was some relief, however, as Tilak Varma marked his return from injury with an impressive all-round display. The left-hander smashed 45 off just 19 balls, hitting three sixes and three fours before being bowled by Marco Jansen, and also bowled an economical over that went for nine runs.

Despite the injury setback, India secured a convincing 30-run win in their only warm-up fixture. In-form Ishan Kishan continued his blistering run, hammering a 20-ball 53 packed with seven sixes and two fours as India piled up 241 for five on a batting-friendly surface. The bowlers then combined well, using as many as nine options — including Abhishek Sharma’s two wickets — to restrict South Africa to 210 for seven.


Get the latest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 updates, including the full schedule, teams, live scores, points table, and key series stats such as top run-scorers and wicket-takers.