As Team India prepares to face South Africa in the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled for February 22 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, all eyes are on batsman Abhishek Sharma. Despite a challenging tournament thus far, where he has faced three consecutive ducks in his first three matches, Morkel, India’s bowling coach, has expressed unwavering support for the left-handed opener. He emphasized that there have been no conversations regarding Abhishek’s batting struggles within the team, asserting, “Absolutely no discussion in our team group about that. Abhishek is a world-class player. So far in the tournament, luckily, there have been guys stepping up for Abhishek, obviously not scoring the runs he would like.” Morkel further conveyed his confidence in Abhishek’s potential to shine, stating, “We are entering a crucial phase of the World Cup now, and I am sure he will deliver—not just for the team but also for the fans who enjoy watching him play. It’s just a matter of getting started and building his innings.” Team India is currently in Group 1 of the Super 8, competing with South Africa, West Indies, and Zimbabwe. Following the match against South Africa, India will take on Zimbabwe on February 26 at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, and then face the West Indies on March 1 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The final of this high-stakes tournament is scheduled for March 8, with the venue to be announced. India’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 includes Suryakumar Yadav (c), Sanju Samson (WK), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan (WK), Rinku Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, and Tilak Varma.
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