Team India has suffered a major setback just before the T20 World Cup 2026. Fast bowler Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the entire tournament due to a knee injury. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed this on Friday and announced that experienced fast bowler Mohammed Siraj will replace him in the squad.
Why won't Harshit Rana play in the T20 World Cup 2026?
Harshit Rana sustained an injury during the warm-up match against South Africa. He bowled only one over in that match before leaving the field. He was later seen with a bandage on his knee, raising doubts about his participation in the tournament. Subsequent medical examinations confirmed that he would not be fit to play in the tournament.
Harshit Rana not only provided a fast-bowling option but also contributed with the bat in the lower order. He recently played a valuable innings of 52 runs off 43 balls in an ODI against New Zealand. Therefore, his absence is considered a significant blow to the team's balance. On the other hand, Siraj is primarily a bowler, and not much is expected of him with the bat.
Mohammed Siraj will replace Harshit Rana
Following Harshit Rana's withdrawal, the BCCI has placed its trust in Mohammed Siraj. The 31-year-old Siraj has played 16 T20 Internationals for India so far, taking 14 wickets. However, his last T20 match was against Sri Lanka in 2024. In addition, Siraj has considerable experience in Test and ODI cricket, which could prove beneficial for the team in a major tournament.
Team India matches
Defending champions India will begin their campaign against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. They will then face Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on February 12. The third match is scheduled against Pakistan in Colombo on February 15, although Pakistan has already announced that they will boycott this match.
India new squad
Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar, and Mohammed Siraj.
Also Read: IND vs USA World Cup 2026, Pitch Report, Head to Head, Playing 11, AI Prediction
Venue - Pallekele International Cricket Stadium T20
SL
Venue - Arun Jaitley Stadium T20
SA
Venue - Eden Gardens T20
WI
Venue - T20
Venue - T20
Venue - T20
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