Hosts India are ready for their last group stage match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, where the Men in Blue are facing the Netherlands in Ahmedabad on Wednesday evening (February 18). Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav are on the bench for the match, and we will know the reason for their absence in the fixture. 

The Super Eight fixtures have been confirmed, with all eight teams having qualified for the next round. India have dominated in the group stage, as they defeated the United States of America by 29 runs in their tournament opener before thrashing Namibia and Pakistan by 93 runs and 61 runs, respectively. 

As hosts India have secured their Super Eight stage place, and are very likely to finish on top of the Group A points table, even if they suffer a defeat against the Netherlands on Wednesday (February 18). As the seeded team, India will participate in Group 1 in the Super Eight stage, where their other challengers will be South Africa, Zimbabwe, and the West Indies. 

See Also: ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, Group A - IND vs NED: Toss Update and Playing XI

ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, IND vs NED: Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel are not playing

As the Netherlands match will not affect India's status in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, the Men in Blues have gone with little experimental changes. So, both Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel have been benched to utilise the other players, not any injury-forced change.

Arshdeep Singh and Washington Sundar return

The left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has returned to the team. In India's last match against Pakistan last Sunday (February 15), while the Colombo RPS venue produced a spin-friendly pitch, Suryakumar Yadav-led India went with one extra spinner, Kuldeep Yadav, benching the left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh. However, for the Netherlands match, Arshdeep has returned to his place, while Kuldeep has to leave the place after delivering the bowling figures of 3-0-14-1.

Meanwhile, India have also benched the vice-captain Axar Patel for the match, as Washington Sundar has finally got a game time in the tournament, while it became a close to like-for-like replacement for India. 

India won the T20 World Cup 2026 Group A match against Pakistan by 61 runs on Sunday. But the win got attention online because of a small clip showing Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, and Hardik Pandya. In the clip, it looked like Suryakumar and Hardik were upset with Kuldeep after he dropped a catch near the end of the match.

During Hardik's 18th over, both Ishan Kishan and Kuldeep dropped catches of Shaheen, and Hardik did not look happy. After Hardik finally bowled Shaheen out, the team started shaking hands. But cameras caught some tension between Suryakumar, Hardik, and Kuldeep. The clip spread fast on social media, and fans wondered if everything was okay in the team.

On Monday, a day after the match, Suryakumar ended the rumours. He posted a funny video with Kuldeep on X (formerly Twitter). In the short clip, they acted out the moment from the match, but it ended with Suryakumar smiling. In the background, he used a famous line from the movie Hera Pheri by Babu Rao.

Watch the video here:

Gussa chodh do bhai 😂 @imkuldeep18 pic.twitter.com/gZ8lnxeQ8o

— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) February 16, 2026

Suryakumar Shares Funny Video with Kuldeep

“Gussa chhod do bhai @imkuldeep18,” Suryakumar wrote as the caption on X.

The incident with Suryakumar, Hardik, and Kuldeep happened on Sunday after the match. The players lined up for the usual handshakes. Hardik looked angry because Kuldeep dropped a catch from his bowling. Suryakumar also did not look happy with Kuldeep. Tilak Varma watched with concern, and Rinku Singh stepped in to calm things down.

India Outclasses Pakistan in Colombo

In the match, Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl first. Salman Ali Agha started well and got Abhishek Sharma out for zero in the first over. Then Ishan Kishan played aggressively, scoring 77 runs in 40 balls. India finished with 175/7 in 20 overs.

In reply, Hardik, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Axar Patel took two wickets each. Pakistan was all out for 114 in 18 overs. India won by 61 runs.

With this win, India is through to the Super 8s. Pakistan must beat Namibia to move to the next round.

India went with two spinners in Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy for their first two clashes of the T20 World Cup 2026 against the United States of America and Namibia in Mumbai and Delhi, where they earned massive victories in both games. However, against Pakistan, they will be playing on a different surface and conditions at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, which places importance on spinners in the middle overs.

For that fixture, Kuldeep Yadav is likely to make his way back into the playing 11 in place of the left-arm pacer, Arshdeep Singh, whereas Abhishek Sharma, the left-handed opening batter, will open the innings as India take on this much-awaited clash. That means Sanju Samsung will have to go back to the benches.

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After looking at the pitch, the team has decided to bring in an additional spinner into the lineup in the form of Kuldeep, as the left-arm wrist spinner could prove handy at the ground, especially since it has long boundaries and helps the spinners traditionally.

India to bring Kuldeep Yadav and Abhishek Sharma in IND vs PAK T20 WC 2026 

Kuldeep picked up five wickets during the ODI game against the same opposition in the Asia Cup 2023 in the second innings, which also stands as a boost for the spinner’s inclusion. In 2025, he played three games against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, where he finished with eight wickets, including four scalps in the final that India won.

Kuldeep averages 9.87 with an economy rate of 6.58 against the Pakistan side in the shortest format. With a long batting lineup, the Indian team can bank on the left-hand wrist spinner to run through the middle order of the opposition side. The Indian from the press conference, as the Indian team gave the confirmation of Abhishek Sharma’s inclusion, who padded up and had a long, neat session on the practice trips.

There are also questions of whether Suryakumar Yadav will shake hands with his opposition number, Salman Ali Agha, which is unlikely to happen in this fixture. Sky and the Indian players did not shake hands with the Pakistan players even during the Asia Cup 2025.

Former BCCI president and DC mentor Sourav Ganguly said he is excited about the upcoming India vs Pakistan match at the T20 World Cup 2026 on Sunday, February 15, in Colombo. Ganguly also shared that he enjoys watching the current Indian squad and mentioned the players he likes the most.

India started their T20 World Cup campaign with a 29-run win over the USA. The team then travelled to Delhi for their next Group A match against Namibia on February 12. After that, they will travel to Colombo for the much-anticipated clash against Pakistan on February 15.

Ganguly said the match against Pakistan will be one of the biggest games of the T20 World Cup. He also said it will be very difficult for Pakistan to beat India, which he described as a strong and well-balanced team.

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Sourav Ganguly Talks About IND vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026

Former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said, “It will be a big World Cup match. The match is on 15th February. It is not going to be easy for Pakistan to defeat India. India is a very good team.” He shared his excitement about the upcoming clash in Colombo and praised the current Indian squad.

Ganguly Names Favourite Indian Players

Ganguly said the T20 World Cup 2026 has started well, with all teams playing competitively. He named his favourite Indian players as Abhishek Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and Ishan Kishan. He added, “The tournament has started really well. So far, it doesn’t look like any team is out of place, whether it is the Netherlands, Scotland, or Nepal.”

India and Pakistan Build Momentum

Pakistan started their World Cup campaign with a three-wicket win over the Netherlands in Colombo. They will next play the USA on February 10 at the same venue. India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, opened with a 29-run win over the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. India will face Namibia on February 12 in Delhi before the big clash against Pakistan on February 15.

India and Pakistan have met eight times in T20 World Cups, with India winning seven matches and Pakistan one. India also beat Pakistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup group stage. Over the last decade, the rivalry has mostly been limited to ICC events and Asia Cups due to political tensions. India defeated Pakistan three times in the 2025 Asia Cup in the UAE.

Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane has left out left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav while naming his probable Men in Blue XI for the T20 World Cup 2026. The tournament begins on February 7 and will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. India will start their campaign against the USA at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

On February 6, during a Q&A on his Instagram stories, Rahane said Sanju Samson should open with Abhishek Sharma, despite Samson scoring only 46 runs in five innings in the recent T20I series against New Zealand. At No. 3, Rahane picked Tilak Varma, with Ishan Kishan as another option.

The middle order has captain Suryakumar Yadav at No. 4, followed by all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube. At No. 7, Rahane chose Rinku Singh, with vice-captain Axar Patel next. The bowling attack includes mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy and two fast bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh.

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Rahane’s Predicted Men in Blue XI for T20 World Cup 2026

Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane has shared his predicted Men in Blue XI for the T20 World Cup 2026. His line-up is: Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma/Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, and Jasprit Bumrah.

Rahane Picks Finalists and Dark Horses

During the same Instagram Q&A session, Rahane predicted India and South Africa as the finalists for the T20 World Cup 2026. These two teams also played the final in 2024, where Rohit Sharma’s India beat South Africa by seven runs.

He also named Rashid Khan’s Afghanistan as the dark horses of the tournament. In the last edition, Afghanistan reached the semi-finals before losing to South Africa. This time, they are in a tough Group D with South Africa, New Zealand, the UAE, and Canada.

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has named Varun Chakaravarthy as one of India’s key X-factor players for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. He also picked Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan as other match-winners for the team. The tournament will begin on Saturday, February 7, and will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Ahead of the tournament, Manjrekar shared a video on Instagram on Friday, February 6. In the video, he named Australia, England, South Africa and New Zealand as the strongest teams. He also said India are the best team in the tournament and have the highest chance of winning the trophy.

Manjrekar explained that his view is based on X-factor players who can change a match at any time. He said the more such players a team has, the better their chances of winning. He added that players like Varun Chakaravarthy can take quick wickets and turn the game around. Manjrekar said India have many such players, including Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya.

Also read -Watch: Suryakumar Yadav having fun with South Africa support staff during IND vs SA warm-up match

India Enters T20 World Cup 2026 With Strong Momentum

India will enter the T20 World Cup 2026 in good form after beating New Zealand 4-1 in their recent home T20I series. Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar believes this strong run, along with India’s match-winners, makes the team a top contender for the title.

In a recent video, Manjrekar praised India’s bowling attack and said other strong teams do not have as many X-factor bowlers as India. He highlighted key names who can change a match at any moment.

Manjrekar Praises India’s X-Factor Bowlers

“Bowling, very important. The other team that I mentioned, the strong team, don't quite have as many X factors in their bowling that India has. India have at least three. Bumrah, the master. Then you've got Varun Chakaravarthy, another X factor bowler. And Kuldeep Yadav on Indian pitches,” Manjrekar said.

He added that India have more X-factor players than other teams. “I may have missed a few Indian batters, but I'm thinking India has at least six or seven X factor players as opposed to the other teams, which don't have quite as many,” he added.

Manjrekar also spoke about the importance of bowling in big tournaments. “And especially in the bowling department, India won the last World T20 in the US and West Indies because of some fine bowling that India was able to defend. A score that wasn't huge. So, watch out for the team that has quality bowlers and India have that with the three magicians that I mentioned. Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy and right on top, Jasprit Bumrah,” he said.

India will begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on the opening day of the tournament against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

We are in the business end of the five-match India vs New Zealand T20I series as Thiruvananthapuram is hosting the last fixture of the series on Saturday night (January 31). It is the last official game for both teams before the beginning of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, which is just seven days away. 

Leading the series by 3-1, the Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav chose to bat first, as the hosts want to challenge themselves in the dew factor. Both India and New Zealand made several changes for the match, as both teams want to check the team depth in the last moment before the T20 World Cup.

Watch: Crowd’s reaction goes viral when Suryakaumar Yadav confirms Sanju Samson is playing IND vs NZ 5th T20I

IND vs NZ 5th T20I: Why are Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana and Ravi Bishnoi not playing?

For this fixture, Indian pacer Harshit Rana, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, and the leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi have been benched. The all-rounder Axar Patel and the left-handed batter Ishan Kishan have returned from their injuries, the leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy, the no.1-ranked T20I bowler, has returned to the playing XI to get more game time.  

No fresh injury news for India

There is no fresh injury news in the Indian camp. So, the Indian cricket fans don't need to fear the changes. Rather than the changes that happened to provide some more game time, especially for two players (Axar Patel and Ishan Kishan) who have returned after recovering from injuries, which is good news for the Indian cricket team. 

The Indian spinner, Kuldeep Yadav, was responsible for taking out Devon Conway at a crucial moment during India’s fourth T20I against New Zealand in 2026, getting rid of a potentially dangerous partnership when Conway was batting on 44 runs and New Zealand was building up some momentum and looking as if they could achieve a large total. Conway was in great form, having batted well through the first 10 overs of the innings, but his inside-out shot attempt created the chance for Yadav to break through.

Conway’s dismissal also came at an important time for New Zealand, as they had just achieved a 100-run partnership for the first wicket of the innings, further adding to the significance of the moment for the home side. The left-arm wrist-spinner (Yadav) floated the ball around the fifth stump and drew Conway forward, but the batter mistimed his attempt to hit the ball and sliced it off the toe of his bat, and as it ballooned into the air towards deep extra cover, Rinku Singh made an easy catch.

Conway's departure for 44 runs stopped New Zealand's momentum and allowed India to get back into the match. Until that point in the match, Conway had looked to be batting well with a mix of being cautious but also taking calculated risks. Yadav's ability to change his speed and how high he was throwing the ball was yet again critical to his role in India's T20 team structure.

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Opening partnership broken ⚡️

Kuldeep Yadav strikes as #TeamIndia have wicket no.1⃣ 🙌

Updates ▶️ https://t.co/GVkrQKKyd6 #INDvNZ | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/SRTU7cmZu5

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 28, 2026

Kuldeep’s Magical Turning Point Changes the Balance of the Match

With the breaking of the opening partnership, India was able to take control of the game with the wicket of the dangerous Devon Conway. From the point of losing Conway, New Zealand had to rethink their approach and change their strategy for batting, while the Indian bowlers began to tighten their action and length in order to build pressure on the New Zealand batsmen.

Kuldeep has a great record for taking wickets and being able to produce great performances in big games. His ability to bowl with flight and use variation by bowling slower balls has consistently caused problems for the best batsmen in the world, and his recent wicket is a clear illustration of Kuldeep’s continued importance to India in limited-overs cricket, especially during high-pressure situations like this T20I series.

It is time for the last preparation ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, as India are set for the first game of the five-match home T20I series against New Zealand. The left-arm chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav hasn't been included in the playing XI of the T20I series opener, and here we can know the reason for it. 

The Indian playing XI report for Nagpur T20I

Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium at Jamtha in Nagpur is hosting the T20I series opener between India and New Zealand on Wednesday evening (January 21). New Zealand won the toss and chose to field first, as the hosts India have to bat first in the first game of the series. Confirming the playing XI, Indian T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav clarified that Shreyas Iyer, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi and Kuldeep Yadav are in the bench for the Nagpur T20I. 

IND vs NZ 1st T20I: India vs New Zealand Toss Update and Playing XIs

Why is Kuldeep Yadav not playing IND vs NZ 1st T20I

The left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav was expensive in the recently concluded three-match home ODI series against New Zealand. While he took three wickets in three matches, his bowling average was 60.66 and economy rate was 7.28. 

As the 34-year-old leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy is available for the T20I series, who is the no.1-ranked T20I bowler, without any doubt he became the favourite choice for the Indian spin-bowling option. Also, it is a night fixture, where dew plays an important role, and vice-captain Axar Patel is also in the playing XI, so Kuldeep doesn't get the playing XI opportunity for the Nagpur T20I. 

Along with Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are also present for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. As Axar and Sundar are the all-rounders, and Varun is an automatic choice for the spin-bowling option, Kuldeep has to fight for his place for the forthcoming T20 World Cup. 

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.

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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.