As Team India gears up for their upcoming match against Zimbabwe on February 26 at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, middle-order batsman Rinku Singh has had to return home due to a family crisis, as reported by sources within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Rinku missed the training session at Chepauk, where his teammates were practicing. A source close to the situation confirmed, “Rinku Singh has flown back to his home in response to a family emergency and did not participate in India’s practice today.” It’s been revealed that Rinku’s father, Khanchand Singh, is critically ill in a Greater Noida hospital. Rinku’s recent performances have been subpar, having been dismissed for a two-ball duck in India’s recent 76-run defeat to South Africa in Ahmedabad, following an earlier score of six against the Netherlands in New Delhi. This loss marked India’s second-largest defeat in T20 Internationals, trailing only their 80-run loss to New Zealand in Wellington back in 2019. Following the defeat, India has fallen to third place in Group 1, with Suryakumar Yadav’s squad holding a net run rate (NRR) of -3.800. To maintain a chance of advancing to the semi-finals, the Men in Blue must secure victories in their remaining two matches with a strong net run rate. Their next challenges include Zimbabwe on February 26 and the West Indies on March 1 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad 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. (With PTI Inputs)
