Babar Azam found himself under massive pressure in the chase of 176 runs during the meeting between India and Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. He walked into the middle after Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Saim Arub on the second delivery of the second over, before the right-arm pacer sent back Salman Ali Agha. 

The onus was on Babar Azam to bail them out of trouble. He got a superb first-ball from Bumrah as it raised on the bat of the right-hander, as someone managed to clear the backward point region and returned for the second run. But he couldn’t stay longer at the crease as he was dismissed for five runs in seven balls.

See Also: Watch: Usman Tariq’s celebration to Suryakumar Yadav in IND vs PAK T20 WC 2026 goes viral

On the fifth delivery of the fifth over against Axar Patel, Babar played one of his worst shots at a crucial point of the game. He went for an unartistic slog and made a mess of his own stumps. Axar had his arms aloft as he saw the middle stump lie flat on the ground.

Babar Azam dismissed for 5 in IND vs PAK T20 WC 2026 clash 

Earlier in the game, India posted a massive score of 175 runs, which was anyway expected to be a tough chase in terms of the spinners’ advantage off the surface. India’s opener, Ishan Kishan, smashed 77 runs in 40 balls with the help of 10 boundaries and three sixes at a strike rate of 192.50.

Watch the video here: 

@StarSportsIndia pic.twitter.com/NaywOpoY8i

— Cricket Everywhere✍🏻 (@Subhamk79241601) February 15, 2026

Meanwhile, Shivam Dube also contributed a fine knock of 27 runs in 17 balls with the help of three fours and one six at a strike rate of 158.82. Rinku Singh’s 11 runs in four balls also made a massive difference in the first innings, while Saim Ayub returned with figures of 3/25 in four overs.

Sahibzada Farhan returned for a four-ball duck in the chase while Ayub got six runs in two balls. On the other hand, Agha made four runs. The only little bright spot of the unit for Pakistan was Usman Khan’s 44 runs in 34 balls at a strike rate of 129.41.

Brief Scores: India 175/7 (Ishan Kishan 77, Suryakumar Kumar 32. Saim Ayub 3/25) vs Pakistan 105/9 (Usman Khan 44, Varun Chakravarthy 2/17) 

Star Indian all-rounder Axar Patel struck twice in one over to put the USA under pressure in their T20 World Cup 2026 match. This was the first game of the tournament for both teams. Batting first, India posted a fighting total of 161/9.

In reply, the USA lost early wickets and slipped to 13/3. Milind Kumar scored 34 runs, while Sanjay Krishnamurthi made 37 and showed some resistance in the middle. As a partnership was building between Sanjay and Shubham Ranjane, Axar Patel changed the game in the 16th over by taking two quick wickets.

Axar first dismissed Sanjay, who tried to play a slog sweep but failed to connect, allowing Rinku Singh to take an easy catch at deep mid-wicket. On the very next ball, Axar removed Harmeet Singh for a first-ball duck. Harmeet also attempted a slog sweep, and Mohammed Siraj completed the catch.

Watch the video here:

☝️ Krishnamurthi
☝️ Harmeet

Two wickets in two deliveries for @akshar2026, and #TeamIndia are in the driver’s seat! 👏

Will we see a fightback from USA? 🤔

ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup | #INDvUSA | LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/GSioxLqv9R pic.twitter.com/eLMrpybxeq

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 7, 2026

Also read -Watch: Legendary Indian captain walks out with T20 World Cup trophy at Wankhede ahead of IND vs USA Group A match

Axar Patel Breaks USA’s Chase

After Axar Patel’s double strike, the USA were reduced to 98/6. His excellent over broke their momentum and damaged their chances of getting close to India’s total. From that point, the visitors struggled to put up a strong fight in the chase.

Axar Shines with Bat and Ball

Axar Patel proved his value with the ball against the USA. He picked up two important wickets at a key stage of the match. He also bowled tight lines and lengths, which did not allow the batters to score freely. Axar finished with figures of 2/24 from his four overs at an economy rate of 6.00.

Earlier, Axar also made a useful contribution with the bat. Coming lower down the order, he scored 14 runs off 11 balls, including two boundaries. He shared an important 41-run partnership with captain Suryakumar Yadav. India won the match by 29 runs and started their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on a positive note. Axar’s all-around performance will give him confidence for the rest of the tournament.

India are set to face New Zealand in the final match of the five-match T20I series in Thiruvananthapuram, and team management are considering three key changes to their playing XI ahead of the decider. With the series already won, this fixture presents an opportunity to adjust combinations and manage player workloads before the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

One potential change is the return of all-rounder Axar Patel, who missed earlier games due to a minor injury and could rejoin the side to strengthen both batting depth and spin options. India may also look to rest some frontline players to balance fitness concerns, particularly with a hectic international calendar approaching. This tactical rotation could include resting senior quicks or all-rounders to give emerging talents a chance.

Another area of focus is the batting order, where the return of dynamic batters could add firepower in the middle overs. The final T20I is likely to feature a mix of experienced campaigners and promising youngsters as India fine-tune their setup and assess bench strength. These changes reflect a strategic approach to maintain momentum and experiment with combinations ahead of major tournaments.

See Also: Watch: Pakistan reaches out to USA to complain on BCCI power in cricket ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

#1 Ishan Kishan for Jasprit Bumrah

Initial reports had indicated that Jasprit Bumrah would feature in the first, third and fifth T20Is against New Zealand, but the pacer eventually played the fourth match instead. With that in mind, India could consider resting Bumrah for Saturday’s game to manage his workload. The team may also look to tweak their combination if the fast bowler is given a break.

Should Bumrah be rested, India are expected to strengthen their batting depth by adding an extra batter. In the previous match, Harshit Rana batted at No. 7, but including Ishan Kishan would provide more stability and firepower. The team management has hinted at Kishan’s inclusion, confirming that he has recovered from the niggle that ruled him out of the fourth T20I.

#2 Varun Chakaravarthy for Ravi Bishnoi

Varun Chakaravarthy has sat out the last two T20Is and is likely to make his return in the series finale. To accommodate him, Ravi Bishnoi appears the most likely player to be rested, especially since he is not part of India’s T20 World Cup squad. This change would allow the team to focus on players central to their plans for upcoming major tournaments.

Bishnoi had been included as a backup option in case Washington Sundar was unavailable, but Sundar is expected to regain full fitness ahead of the ICC event. As a result, prioritising Bishnoi’s game time is less important at this stage. Instead, the team management may look to ensure Varun Chakaravarthy regains rhythm and sharpness across different bowling phases before the tournament.

#3 Axar Patel for Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya neither bowled nor made a significant impact with the bat in the previous match, which strengthens the case for resting him in the fifth T20I against New Zealand. Having featured in all four games so far, the all-rounder has been consistently involved, even if he hasn’t gone all out in the field. With his fitness needing careful management, a break could be beneficial ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Axar Patel appears to have fully recovered from the finger injury he picked up in the series opener and is well placed to step in. His inclusion would allow India to manage Hardik’s workload while maintaining balance in both batting and bowling departments.

The left-arm spin all-rounder of the Indian side, Axar Patel, has shared a heartwarming story from the day he was picked in the 15-member squad against Bangladesh in 2014. He revealed how the death of his grandmother saw him take the game in a serious way and eventually featured for the blue brigade.

The veteran Indianplayer has picked 57 wickets and scored 688 runs in 24 innings of the longest format, besides accumulating 858 runs in 49 innings of the ODI games and collecting 75 wickets in 66 innings, besides celebrating three half-centuries at the best score of undefeated 64 runs.

See Also: Australia name all-format 15-member squad for home series against India

“When the district-level matches were going on, I was playing for Kheda vs Gandhinagar. I was in Gandhinagar, and the incident happened at 12:00 at night. My grandmother died from a heart attack. I went home and made my dad. That was the first time he hugged me and cried. Everything happened.” Axar shared the story on ESPNcricinfo.

Axar Patel reveals the story of getting maiden call-up for India

Axar was one of the biggest heroes for India’s T20 World Cup 2024 winning campaign. In the shortest format, he has featured in a total of 53 innings to bag 83 wickets in 80 innings at 22.16 and smashed 686 runs at a strike rate of 134.77, thanks to his best score of 65 runs.

Watch the video here: 

Axar Patel shares a heartwarming story from the day he received his first India call-up ✨ pic.twitter.com/WcA1J7UsNB

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) January 29, 2026

“Then that night, he told me, ‘It was my mother’s wish that you play cricket for India, you will play good cricket, so all I am asking of you is to fulfill her last wish. That was when I actually got serious about cricket. I told dad, ‘I will play for India, at least for one match, just so I will be on TV at least.” Patel addressed.

“I was in Kolkata, playing for the Kings XI Punjab in 2014. It was my first year, and we went to play the Eliminator. I think that was when the Indian team was announced around an hour ago. I was sitting in one corner of the dressing room, and Cheteshwar Pujara made up to me to congratulate me. I took the phone from the manager and called Dad.” The left-arm spin all-rounder concluded.

Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur is hosting the second game of the five-match India vs New Zealand T20I series, where the hosts Men in Blues have made two key changes, as Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah are absent from the playing XI. Here, we will know the reason for both players’ exclusion from the playing XI. 

Hosts India are leading the T20I series by 1–0 before the beginning of the second T20I in Raipur on Friday evening (January 23). Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav chose to field first after winning the toss, where dew can play a very important role. 

India made two changes in the playing XI, as the right-arm fast bowler Harshit Rana and the left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav have returned to the playing XI. The all-rounder and vice-captain Axar Patel and the right-arm fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah are absent from the playing XI for the Rajkot T20I.

IND vs NZ 2nd T20I: Why is Axar Patel not playing?

During the T20I series opener last Wednesday evening (January 21), Axar Patel suffered an injury as the left-arm spinner couldn’t finish his fourth over. On the third ball of the 16th over of the second innings, while he went to save the ball on his own delivery, the powerful shot hit Axar’s left hand. He soon left the field as his absence from the second T20I was very expected. 

There is no official information yet about Axar Patel’s injury status, while the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is less than three weeks away from beginning. Kuldeep Yadav has replaced Axar, as Kuldeep will provide the left-arm spin bowling option, while he is a top wrist spinner. 

See Also: India celebrate new team record before Pakistan during IND vs NZ 2nd T20I in Raipur

IND vs NZ Raipur T20I: Why is Jasprit Bumrah not playing?

Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah isn’t in the injury list, which can give a huge relief to the Indian fans ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup. There are likely two reasons why Bumrah has been excluded from the playing XI for the Raipur T20I. While one is the simple reason of giving rest before the T20 World Cup, the other reason may be due to the absence of Axar Patel. All-rounder Axar is missing this T20I due to an injury, which created a gap in the lengthy batting line-up, and Harshit Rana has been included due to his ability to play as a bowling all-rounder.   

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to make major changes to the BCCI’s contract structure by eliminating the A+ category which was implemented in 2018. Currently, players in the A+ category earn ₹7 crore, while players in A category earn ₹5 crore, B category  ₹3 crore and C category ₹1 crore. However, with the retention contracts for the 2025–26 season, it is likely that the BCCI will return to its previous 3-tiered system of A, B and C.

Four senior players were placed in the A+ category in the last contract cycle: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja. The players in this elite A+ category are considered the most valuable all-format/ senior performers in India at this point in time. The revision to the BCCI’s grading of contracts is an indication that the BCCI intends to better align grades with actual workloads, participation in formats of play and availability within the International Cricket Council (ICC) calendar rather than solely legacy status or contributions made historically.

See Also: India series losses under Head Coach Gautam Gambhir: Full List & Analysis (Tests & ODIs)

Among the four previously highest-paid players, Jasprit Bumrah is now the only cricketer actively featuring in all three formats for India. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are currently active only in ODIs, having stepped away from T20 internationals. Ravindra Jadeja, meanwhile, continues to be part of India’s Test and ODI setup but has also retired from T20Is. These changes in format commitments are understood to be a key factor influencing the revised contract structure.

No paycut for Bumrah and other A contract holders

The central contracts are expected to be approved at the upcoming Apex Council meeting, with a BCCI official clarifying that players like Jasprit Bumrah will not face any salary reduction, given his role as India’s premier all-format fast bowler despite periodic workload-related absences. Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill is also set to be placed in the A category. Meanwhile, with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma now active in only one format, they are likely to be moved to the B category, which could see a revised pay structure. Other all-format regulars include Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar.

"This is being done to simplify the contract structure. There are not many players who are part of all formats. Someone like Bumrah, who remains one of the few all format players, will continue to be placed in the highest category and there would be no paycut," the official said.

India will face New Zealand in a three-match ODI series later this month. The first match will be played in Vadodara on January 11.

The BCCI has recently announced India’s squad for the series. Shubman Gill will return to the team and lead the side, while Shreyas Iyer has been named vice-captain. Both players have recovered from injuries and missed the previous series against South Africa.

Competition in the 50-over format is very tough at the moment. Because of this, several players missed out on selection despite being in good form. With that in mind, here are three players who were unlucky to miss a place in India’s squad for the New Zealand ODI series.

Also read -Watch: Dinesh Karthik struggling with bat against emerging pacer from Bihar

3. Axar Patel

Why has Axar Patel been left out of the last two ODI series? He played in Australia and performed well, but Ravindra Jadeja has been selected for the series against South Africa and New Zealand.

Jadeja’s batting form has dipped, while Axar has continued to improve. Axar’s bowling has been excellent over the last year, and he has also worked on his batting, especially against fast bowlers.

India needs a batting all-rounder who can play in the top seven, and Axar fits that role well. He feels unlucky to miss out on selection.

2. Ruturaj Gaikwad

Not long ago, Ruturaj Gaikwad scored his maiden ODI century. In that match against South Africa, the right-hander played a confident and fluent innings and even matched Virat Kohli shot for shot.

However, Shreyas Iyer’s return to the squad has meant that Gaikwad missed out. This is understandable, as Shreyas is an important player in this format, but Gaikwad will still be disappointed to miss the tour so soon after his big achievement.

Competition for places in India’s ODI team is very strong, and Gaikwad will need to keep performing to stay in contention.

See also -Watch: Yashasvi Jaiswal spotted in pure 90s look at Reliance Foundation Event

1. Dhruv Jurel

For the New Zealand ODI series, Rishabh Pant has been selected as KL Rahul’s backup wicketkeeper. However, Pant has not been in good form in domestic cricket for Delhi, while Dhruv Jurel has been scoring runs consistently.

Pant has clear limitations in white-ball cricket and has not played much since his serious accident. While it is fair that the selectors want to give him a chance, this may not be the right time.

Jurel looks like a more complete player in limited-overs cricket and appears to have a higher potential.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a 15-member squad for the ODI series against New Zealand. Captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer have returned to the team after recovering from injuries. They have replaced Tilak Varma and Ruturaj Gaikwad in the squad.

Meanwhile, all-rounder Hardik Pandya and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah have been rested for the three-match series.

The first ODI against New Zealand will be played in Vadodara on Sunday, January 11. The second and third ODIs will be held in Rajkot and Indore on January 14 and January 18, respectively.

In this article, we take a look at four star Indian players who were ignored by the selectors despite strong performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. 

Also read -Joe Root smashes 41st Test century in Sydney, equals Ricky Ponting and Jonathan Trott records in AUS vs ENG 5th Test

1. Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson made a strong return to List-A cricket by scoring 101 runs off 95 balls against Jharkhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His innings included three sixes and nine fours. Kerala won the match by eight wickets.

This was Samson’s fourth List-A century. He last played an ODI for India in 2023, when he scored 108 against South Africa in Paarl. The 31-year-old has scored 510 runs in 16 ODIs at an average of 56.66, including one century and three half-centuries.

Despite this, Rishabh Pant has kept his place as the backup wicketkeeper to KL Rahul in the Indian team.

2. Tilak Varma

Hyderabad captain Tilak Varma scored his sixth List-A century against Chandigarh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Saturday, January 3. The left-handed batter made 109 runs off 118 balls, hitting three sixes and six fours. His knock helped Hyderabad register their first win of the tournament by 136 runs.

Tilak Varma recently played in the ODI series against South Africa. He was included in the playing XI for the third ODI, but India did not need him to bat. Even after his strong domestic form, he was left out of the ODI squad, which came as a surprise.

See also -Watch: Thomas Balkin’s superb catch dismisses Babar Azam for 2 against Brisbane Heat in BBL 2025/26

3. Axar Patel

Gujarat all-rounder Axar Patel scored his maiden List-A century against Andhra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He smashed 130 runs off 111 balls, including five sixes and ten fours.

Axar also impressed with the ball, picking up 2 wickets for 27 runs in six overs. His all-round performance helped Gujarat win the match by seven runs.

Axar last played an ODI series for India against Australia, where he took three wickets in three matches. He also scored 31 and 44 in two innings. However, Ravindra Jadeja replaced him in the next ODI series against South Africa and has kept his place in the squad against New Zealand.

4. Mohammad Shami

Mohammad Shamicontinued his good form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, taking 3 wickets for 55 runs as Bengal defeated Assam by 85 runs. He has picked up 11 wickets in five matches at an economy rate of 5.65 in the tournament.

Shami was also impressive in the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he took 16 wickets in seven matches at an economy rate of 8.93. In the ongoing 2025–26 Ranji Trophy season, he has taken 20 wickets in four matches.

Despite his consistent performances, the selectors have ignored him. India have continued with Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana for the ODI series against New Zealand. Shami last played an ODI against New Zealand during the 2025 Champions Trophy, where India went on to win the title.

Axar Patel made a prank call to Mohammed Siraj. Siraj was literally not aware that the phone call from Patel was only for a funny Instagram video. After a brief, funny chat, Axar revealed that it was a prank call. 

The video we are talking about was shared by the popular Instagram account '2sloggers.' The hosts asked Axar Patel to make a call to his close teammate. Without any hesitation, Patel dialed Siraj's number. Siraj instantly picked up the call on the other side. From the conversation it is clear that the video was shot after the T20 World Cup squad announcement, where Axar Patel was named as the vice-captain of Team India, in place of Shubman Gill, who was snubbed from the squad. 

In a serious voice tone, Patel said to Siraj that he did not find his name in the T20 World Cup squad. Siraj on the other side was confident that his friend's name was in the list. Siraj told Axar he saw his name in the player's list. The conversation got more real when the star pacer used a colloquial word for his friend, after which Axar Patel revealed to Siraj that that phone call was a prank. 

Read More: Star India player to lead Punjab in upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy in absense of Shubman Gill

Watch Axar Patel's prank call to Mohammed Siraj 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 2 Sloggers (@2sloggers)

While Axar Patel is in the squad with a new role, Siraj is not in the T20I team. The seamer did not feature in any Twenty20 match for India in 2025. He played his last T20I for India on July 30, 2024.

India squad for T20 World Cup:

Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (VC), Ishan Kishan (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, and Washington Sundar.

A major surprise came on Saturday morning when Shubman Gill was removed as vice-captain and dropped from India’s squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. In his place, all-rounder Axar Patel was appointed vice-captain. The decision was taken by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after Gill’s poor run of form in recent white-ball internationals.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained the thinking behind the move and why Axar Patel was chosen for the role.
“Shubman was the vice-captain, but he's not in the team, so someone else had to be vice-captain. Before, when Shubman was not playing T20Is and was playing Test cricket, Axar was the vice-captain,” Agarkar said, explaining the decision.

Axar Patel’s past leadership experience also helped his case. He had earlier served as India’s vice-captain during the five-match T20I series against England in early 2025, which added weight to his selection ahead of the World Cup.

Gill Dropped, Suryakumar Continues as Captain

Gill, 26, has scored only 291 runs in his last 15 T20 matches at an average of 24.25, which ultimately led to him being dropped from the squad. However, Suryakumar Yadav was retained as captain despite similar concerns about his recent form. The T20 specialist has managed just 244 runs in his last 22 innings in the format, without scoring a single fifty.

See Also: Why Yashasvi Jaiswal was dropped from India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad: Explained

India will also play five home T20Is against New Zealand from January 21, which will be their final international series before the World Cup. The tournament will be hosted by India and Sri Lanka and will feature 20 teams. India goes into the event as defending champions after beating South Africa in a thrilling final in Barbados in 2024.

India’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2026:

Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Axar Patel (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan.