Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 20 (ANI): The Chief selector Ajit Agarkar arrived to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters ahead of India’s squad selection for T20 World Cup and T20I series against New Zealand next year on Saturday.
The Indian team squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and the T20I series against New Zealand in January will be announced by skipper Suryakumar Yadav and chief selector Ajit Agarkar in Mumbai at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters on Saturday.
India is placed in Group A alongside Namibia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, and the United States and will start its campaign against the USA on February 7 in Mumbai.
The leadership duo of captain Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill, while they will be in the squad, are under scrutiny due to their poor run of form this year. In 20 matches and 18 innings this year, Suryakumar has scored just 213 runs at a shambolic average of 14.20, with a strike rate of just over 125 and no fifties. Gill, currently set to miss the final T20I against South Africa due to a foot injury, has fared better, but it is not saying much, as he is yet to score a fifty in 15 innings since his T20I return and has scored just 291 runs at an average of 24.25 and an SR of over 137, missing out on some promising starts.
The star opener Abhishek Sharma looks to be a guaranteed starter in the tournament, having a dream run in T20 cricket this year, be it franchise cricket or the Indian team. This year, he has scored 859 runs in 21 matches and innings at an average of 42.95 and a SR of above 193, with a century and five fifties as an opener.
Tilak Varma, who showcased his big-match potential during the Asia Cup final against Pakistan and has a stupendous record in run-chases and at number three, is also another expected easy pick in the squad. This year in 20 T20Is, he has scored 567 runs at an average of 47.25, with a strike rate of over 129, including four fifties in 18 innings and a best score of 73.
However, there is no stopping Team India this year as they just won their eighth successive T20I series win and marked their 14th T20I successive series unbeaten after they beat South Africa by 30 runs at Ahmedabad on Saturday.
Coming to the match, the Proteas won the toss and put India to field first. Openers Samson (37 in 22 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and Abhishek (34 in 21 balls, with six fours and a six) gave India a fiery start with a 63-run stand in just 5.4 overs. After a brief stumble following dismissals of Samson and skipper Suryakumar Yadav (5), Tilak (73 in 42 balls, with 10 fours and a six) and Hardik put on a 105-run stand for the fourth wicket, taking India to 231/5 in 20 overs. Corbin Bosch (2/44) was the pick of the bowlers for SA.
During the run-chase of 232 runs, SA did put up a 69-run opening stand, which was mainly due to the efforts of opener Quinton de Kock (65 in 35 balls, with nine fours and three sixes), who continued his love affair with Indian bowling. Reeza Hendricks (13 in 12 balls, with a four) was the first victim of the evening’s leading wicket-taker, Varun. Brevis did give India a scare with his knock, sticking around for another half-century stand with QDK to take SA to 120 in the 11th over. However, following his dismissal, Proteas lost wickets regularly and never quite managed to make a comeback, falling short by 30 runs and restricted to 201/8 in 20 overs.
Jasprit Bumrah (2/17) was also impressive in his four-over quota, while Arshdeep also took a wicket. (ANI)
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