Will Abhishek Sharma be fit in time? Conflicting updates fuel India-Pakistan suspense before T20 World Cup blockbuster

NEW DELHI: India’s preparations for the high-voltage T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan have been dominated by one burning question — will Abhishek Sharma be fit in time? Conflicting updates from teammates and captain have only added to the intrigue ahead of Sunday’s marquee encounter.

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Spinner Varun Chakravarthy struck an optimistic note after India’s win over Namibia, revealing that the explosive opener could be on track for a comeback. “As far as I have spoken to him he looks good, he did some practice today also. He told me he is on the way,” Varun said, hinting at a possible return.




However, skipper Suryakumar Yadav painted a more cautious picture. Abhishek, who was hospitalised earlier this week with a stomach infection, is still regaining strength after being discharged. “Abhishek isn’t fine still, might take one or two games,” Surya admitted, suggesting the team would prioritise his full recovery.

The attacking left-hander missed the Namibia clash, where Sanju Samson partnered Ishan Kishan at the top of the order. Even as the team trained at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Abhishek did not join full sessions, with reports indicating weakness and slight weight loss following the illness.


Team management is expected to make a final call after monitoring his workload during training in Colombo. Traditionally, Abhishek spends long hours batting in nets and that endurance test could determine whether he is ready for the pressure of an India-Pakistan showdown.

For now, India appear caught between hope and caution: Varun’s upbeat “he is on the way” versus Suryakumar’s realistic “might take one or two games” assessment.


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.