Abhishek Sharma hospitalised due to stomach infection, doubtful for T20 World Cup clash vs Namibia

India’s left-handed opener and current world No. 1 T20I batter Abhishek Sharma is in doubt for Thursday’s 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup clash against Namibia, with his availability looking increasingly unlikely after he was admitted to a private hospital in New Delhi due to a stomach infection.

The 25-year-old missed India’s training session at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday evening and remains under medical observation. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate confirmed the update in a press conference, saying Sharma was down with a “tummy issue” but that the team remained hopeful about his recovery.

Advertisement

“As for Abhishek, he’s dealing with a tummy issue, but we are hopeful that he’ll be fit in time for the match against Namibia,” Doeschate said.

Sharma had already appeared unwell during the team dinner at head coach Gautam Gambhir’s residence on Sunday, where he was the first player to leave. According to sources tracking the development, he has been hospitalised since Monday, with further tests being conducted to determine his recovery timeline and match availability.

Sharma had featured in India’s opening Group A match against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium despite suffering from a high fever but was dismissed for a duck and later did not take the field in the second innings due to the stomach bug. India eventually won the match by 29 runs.

Given his condition, the team management is unlikely to rush him back, especially with a high-profile clash against Pakistan scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, followed by a game against the Netherlands on February 18 in Ahmedabad, ahead of the Super Eight stage.

His absence could open the door for Sanju Samson to partner in-form Ishan Kishan at the top of the order, although Samson struggled as an opener during India’s recent 4–1 home series win over New Zealand.

Samson spent significant time batting alongside Kishan during Tuesday’s practice session. India will have another training session at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday evening before facing Namibia on Thursday.