India is facing two-time champion West Indies in the 52nd match of the T20 World Cup 2026. This match between the two teams is taking place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. In the Super 8 round, India and the West Indies have each won one match and lost one match so far. For this reason, both teams need a win to make it to the semi-finals. In such a situation, this match is like a knockout for one side. The team that loses will be out of the tournament.

India vs West Indies Super 8 Match Toss Update

Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and decided to bowl first. Explaining his decision, Surya said the surface looks good. This is a chasing ground. Later, the pitch becomes better for batting. Considering the dew factor, chasing the target is the best option. 

See Also: Watch: Sikandar Raza dismisses Aiden Markram for four in ZIM vs SA T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8s

The Indian captain described Kolkata as a wonderful venue. He also praised the crowd. Surya gave an update about the dressing room, saying there is a tense atmosphere. But without it, he said, it wouldn't be fun either. However, everyone in the camp is in a good mood. We corrected everything in the last match. We have come into this match with positive things in mind.

Reason Behind Rinku Singh’s Absence in IND vs WI Super 8 Clash

Rinku Singh was not included in the Indian team's playing XI against Zimbabwe, and Sanju Samson played in that match. Sanju helped India get a fast start. For this reason, Team India retained the same combination and once again left Rinku out. Rinku's personal life has also been in considerable turmoil, as his father recently passed away. Because of this, after the match in Chennai, Rinku returned home and also participated in his father's last rites.

However, the left-handed batter has since returned and joined Team India ahead of the match against the West Indies. The chances of Rinku being played were slim, and indeed, that is what happened.

India’s Playing XI for Super-8 Clash Against West Indies

Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah

India’s star cricketer Rinku Singh is going through a period of deep grief during the T20 World Cup 2026. Today, Rinku’s father, Khanchand Singh, passed away, who was battling with stage-4 liver cancer. He had been hospitalized for several days and died at Yatharth Hospital in Greater Noida. Rinku came home to visit his father on Tuesday. After the match against South Africa, he flew straight to Chennai from Ahmedabad, but his father's health deteriorated, forcing him to return home. The family is in shock due to the sudden demise of their father and is returning to their residence.

Rinku Singh's father has been fighting cancer for the past year. Despite having been treated for a while, he was admitted to Yatharth Hospital in Noida after complaining of stomach pain. Khanchand Singh had been on ventilator support and undergoing kidney replacement therapy for the past two or three days while being treated by the staff. On Friday morning, he passed away.

See Also: Watch: Heartbreaking news!! Star India player's father passes away during T20 World Cup 2026

Rinku Singh's father had a significant impact on his son's cricket career. He worked tirelessly to fulfill his son's dream. Khanchand struggled to make ends meet, but he persevered when Rinku was working hard to become a cricketer. His biggest dream was to see his son return home with the 2026 T20 World Cup trophy. Before the World Cup, he had even urged Rinku to win the trophy. However, Rinku's father has passed away. His sudden demise has saddened the entire cricketing world. Virat Kohli has also expressed his condolences at this time of grief.

Virat Kohli shared a heartfelt message for Rinku Singh

Rinku Singh has lost his strongest support system today, but the entire nation stands by him. Former Indian captain and legendary batter Virat Kohli also conveyed his condolences and encouraged him to stay strong during this difficult time.

"Deeply saddened by the news of Rinku’s father’s demise. My heartfelt prayers and thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time. May you always find strength in his eternal blessings. Om Shanti. @rinkusingh235," Virat Kohli wrote on X.

Deeply saddened by the news of Rinku’s father’s demise. My heartfelt prayers and thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time. May you always find strength in his eternal blessings. Om Shanti. 🙏 @rinkusingh235

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) February 27, 2026

BCCI has also expressed grief over the demise of Rinku Singh's father. Secretary Devjit Saikia conveyed the board's condolences and also informed that Rinku will not be joining Team India for the departure to Kolkata this afternoon. In such a situation, Rinku is unlikely to be available for the Super-8 match against West Indies on March 1.

The Super-8 match of the T20 World Cup 2026 between India and Zimbabwe is scheduled to be held on February 26 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. This is India's second match of the round, a must-win situation for them to stay in the semi-final race. The main reason for this is India's 76-run loss to South Africa, which has left Suryakumar Yadav & company with a net run rate of -3.800.

In the Super-8 match played at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India suffered its biggest defeat in terms of runs in the history of the tournament at the hands of South Africa. Following this loss, India needs to register a big win against Zimbabwe to remain alive in the semi-finals’ race and cover the net run rate.

See Also: Watch: Shaheen Afridi dismissed in-form England opener Phil Salt for a Golden duck in ENG Vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 match

Some changes could also be made in Team India's playing XI for the match against Zimbabwe. For this reason, we are going to tell you the top 3 reasons why Sanju Samson should get a chance in place of Tilak Varma.

1. Tilak Varma’s underwhelming run in the T20 World Cup 2026

Tilak Verma batted at number 3 for India in the T20 World Cup 2026, but has not performed up to expectations. In most matches, Tilak adopted a slow batting approach, which drew a lot of criticism. Even when coming to bat in the powerplay, he did not change his approach, and his strike rate remained quite low. So far in five innings, Tilak has scored 107 runs at a strike rate of 118.88. His slow batting approach also puts pressure on other players. For this reason, the team management may give Sanju Samson a chance in place of Tilak against Zimbabwe. Although Sanju's form may not be very good, his attacking approach could help relieve pressure on the team.

2. Adding right-hand balance to India’s left-heavy top order

Initially, for the T20 World Cup 2026, India's top three batters were supposed to be Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Tilak Varma. However, then Tilak got injured, and Ishan Kishan came in for the New Zealand T20 series and performed exceptionally well. Meanwhile, Sanju didn't play a single big knock. For this reason, when Tilak returned for the tournament, Sanju was dropped, and Ishan was chosen as an opener alongside Abhishek. This made all three of India’s top-order batters left-handed. As a result, opposing teams don’t have to make many changes to their strategies. Hence, including right-handed Sanju could be a good option. His inclusion would require the opposition to come up with a slightly different plan.

3. India can play Kuldeep Yadav for Rinku Singh

The match against Zimbabwe is to be held in Chennai, which is generally considered a venue that favors spin bowlers. For this reason, India might need an extra spinner, and a decision could be made to play Kuldeep Yadav. However, there was discussion about playing Kuldeep in place of Arshdeep Singh, but if Sanju Samson is included instead of Tilak, then Kuldeep Yadav might take the place of Rinku Singh, who returned home suddenly due to a family emergency. There is no update yet regarding Rinku's availability. In such a scenario, India might think of using this opportunity to strengthen their bowling.

Ahead of Team India’s Super-8 clash against South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2026, the spotlight has firmly been on opener Abhishek Sharma. The left-handed batter, who entered the tournament with high expectations, has struggled to find rhythm and has endured a hat-trick of ducks, raising concerns over his form at a crucial stage of the competition. However, former India head coach Ravi Shastri has offered a contrasting perspective, rather than viewing the lean patch as a setback.

Ravi Shastri described it as a positive sign, suggesting that such phases are part of a young cricketer’s growth curve. His remarks underline confidence in Abhishek Sharma’s potential to bounce back strongly when it matters most, reinforcing the belief within the camp despite the recent setbacks.

See Also: Watch: Abhishek Sharma takes close look at Ahmedabad pitch ahead of IND vs SA T20 World Cup 2026 match

Abhishek Sharma enjoyed a prolific run in T20 internationals in 2025, emerging as Team India’s highest run-scorer with 859 runs in 21 matches at an impressive average of 42.95 and a staggering strike rate of 193.46. However, the left-handed opener has endured a dramatic dip in form during the group stage of the T20 World Cup 2026, failing to open his account and registering a hat-trick of ducks. His lean patch has sparked widespread discussion, particularly given the high expectations surrounding him, and with the Super-8 and knockout stages approaching, his role at the top of the order is expected to be pivotal. 

Abhishek Sharma’s Three Consecutive Ducks a Positive Sign for Team India

Most Indian fans are worried about Abhishek Sharma's form, who has scored three consecutive zeroes. Still, Ravi Shastri described it as a positive sign for Team India and hopes that the young opener will perform well in important matches.

Ahead of the Super-8 match against South Africa, Shastri said on ICC Review:

"I look at it as a positive that Abhishek Sharma has got three zeros. So, save your best for the important periods in the tournament. Teams will be a little worried that he's not got runs.”

The Indian camp is also not worried about Abhishek Sharma's form, confirmed by captain Suryakumar Yadav himself. On Saturday, in a pre-match conference, Surya said that I am concerned about the people who are worrying about Abhishek. I am more concerned about the teams that will face Abhishek later. He did everything last year; now it's our turn to support him.

The trend of high-profile separations in Indian cricket has continued over the past two years. In 2024, Hardik Pandya confirmed his divorce, and later, Yuzvendra Chahal also went through a difficult phase in his personal life that led to the end of his marriage. Now, Indian leg-spinner Rahul Chahar has announced his separation from his wife, Ishani Johar. The couple was set to complete four years of marriage on March 9 next month; however, they have chosen to part ways amicably through mutual consent.

On Friday (February 20th), 26-year-old Rahul Chahar surprised everyone by announcing the end of his marriage. He shared this information on social media. He stated that he was closing this chapter of his life after 15 months of struggle. While the bowler didn't reveal the real reason for his marriage's end, he did mention that he married at a very young age and didn't understand the true meaning of his life at the time.

See Also: 26-Year-old CSK star announces divorce amid T20 World Cup 2026

The manner in which Rahul Chahar and Ishani Johar’s marriage came to an end was unexpected for many, considering the length and depth of their relationship. The couple had been together for several years before getting married in 2022. However, their paths have now diverged. As public interest grows around Rahul’s former wife, here are some key details about Ishani.

Who is Ishani Johar?

According to information available in media reports, Ishani Johar was born in 1999 in Bengaluru and is a professional fashion designer. She completed most of her schooling in Jaipur and Delhi before earning her degree from the University of Rajasthan. Currently based in Bengaluru, Ishani is actively working in the fashion industry and has established herself with notable professional achievements.

Rahul Chahar entered Ishani Johar's life through common friends. They developed a strong friendship, which later blossomed into love. Ishani and Rahul dated for several years and then took their relationship a step further by getting engaged in 2019. Afterward, in 2022, Ishani and Rahul decided to be together in a lavish destination wedding. However, their marriage has now suddenly ended.

Check out pictures of Ishani Johar

Rahul Chahar is gearing up to represent CSK in IPL 2026

In IPL 2026, Rahul Chahar will represent five-time champions Chennai Super Kings. He was previously part of Sunrisers Hyderabad last season but was released ahead of the mini-auction. Subsequently, Chennai Super Kings secured his services for ₹5.20 crore.

Rahul has already begun his preparations for the upcoming IPL season and recently shared training videos alongside his cousin, Deepak Chahar. Notably, Deepak was retained by Mumbai Indians, a franchise Rahul himself represented for three seasons earlier in his career.

Hosts and defending champions India are busy with their last group stage game against the Netherlands in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 on Wednesday night (February 18) at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, while Team India has come with a special gift for a young cricket fan.

The India vs Netherlands match is the last Group A fixture in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. India and Pakistan both have secured their respective places for the Super Eight stage of the tournament, as all eight teams for the Super Eight have been confirmed. The Men in Blue are checking the team for the last time ahead of the bigger Super Eight challenge of the tournament, as the skipper Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and chose to bat first in the match against the Netherlands. 

T20 World Cup 2026: Why are Abhishek Sharma and Mohammad Siraj not playing today in IND vs NAM Match 18?

Watch the gift to little kid from Team India

Star Sports, the broadcaster of the tournament, has shared a short video where a little kid, wearing the Indian team jersey, is holding a cricket ball.  

The video has the caption, "Small hands, big dreams ❤️. A special gift from #TeamIndia to spark a lifelong love for cricket."

Small hands, big dreams ❤️

A special gift from #TeamIndia to spark a lifelong love for cricket.

ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup | #INDvNED | LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/ZDDaX3zudr pic.twitter.com/0dGRusBwUs

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 18, 2026

Netherlands bowlers put strong challenge against dangerous Indian batters

At the end of the first 10 overs, India scored 74/3. Opener Abhishek Sharma was once again dismissed for a duck, as the No.1-ranked T20I batter recorded his third consecutive duck in the tournament, as he also failed to open his account against the United States of America and Pakistan, while he missed the match against Namibia due to his stomach infection. 

Also, the in-form opener Ishan Kishan scored 18 runs off seven balls, but he was unlucky to be bowled. Meanwhile, the no.3 batter Tilak Varma also played an important knock of 31 off 27 balls before losing his wicket. 

India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 group stage match is scheduled to be played on February 15. The venue for this match is R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. However, before the start of the tournament, there were clouds of uncertainty over the India-Pakistan match, as the Pakistan government had announced a boycott of this match. After waiting for more than a week and finally receiving approval from the government, the PCB agreed to play the match against India.

Bilateral series are no longer held between India and Pakistan, which is why their matches are seen only during ICC tournaments and the Asia Cup. This is the reason why whenever these two teams face each other, many prominent figures appear on the field, including the country's Prime Minister as well as numerous former cricketers and celebrities. Similar expectations are being expressed this time as well.

According to a report by Geo News, ICC Chairman Jay Shah and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi are likely to be present in Colombo for the marquee India–Pakistan clash. Sources further indicate that, in addition to ICC officials, representatives of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are also expected to attend the fixture. Officials from both the BCCI and the PCB could be seen at the same venue. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Cricket has clarified that members of other cricket boards are also welcome to attend the high-profile encounter.

See Also: Mohsin Naqvi to return Asia Cup 2025 trophy to Jay Shah during IND vs PAK T20 WC 2026 clash? Report drops bombshell

India has the upper hand against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup

Although the rivalry between India and Pakistan is highly hyped, Team India has mostly had the upper hand in their T20 World Cup encounters. So far, 8 matches have been played between them in the tournament, with India leading 7-1. Pakistan's only win against India came in 2021, when Babar Azam's captain-led team won the match by 10 wickets. In that match, Virat Kohli was captaining Team India.

Last year in the Asia Cup, India also showed dominance against Pakistan, and under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav, the team won three consecutive matches, including the final. Due to consistently strong performances against Pakistan, India is expected to maintain its dominance. However, Pakistan cannot be taken lightly, as the team can outplay any opponent on its day.

Pakistan's spinner Usman Tariq is getting a lot of attention ahead of India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 match, which is set to be played on 15 February at Colombo. Tariq's bowling action is somewhat unusual, which has kept him a mystery for batters so far. Tariq bowls with a round-arm delivery and pauses slightly just before releasing the ball, making it difficult for batters to play him. For this reason, it is believed that the 28-year-old off-spinner could pose a significant threat to the Indian batting line-up, as several players struggle against spinners in the match against Namibia.

On one hand, Usman Tariq is being considered Pakistan's trump card against Team India, while on the other hand, there is an ongoing debate over the legality of this bowler's action. On social media, along with fans, many former cricketers are also questioning Tariq's action, especially when he pauses during his bowling. Repeating this has targeted the Pakistani spinner as well. However, Tariq's action has been cleared twice by the ICC, yet his critics are not backing down. Now, Pakistan's captain, Salman Ali Agha, has defended his bowler and given a strong response to shut down the critics.

"I don’t know why there is so much chatter around Usman Tariq. He has been cleared by ICC. India has hyped him, but he is not affected by all that," Pakistan skipper Agha said in the pre-match press conference.

See Also: IND vs PAK: How MS Dhoni inspired Usman Tariq to leave his sales job and pursue cricket amid T20 World Cup 2026

Salman Ali Agha labels Usman Tariq a trump card

The pitch at Colombo ground is being considered slow, and for this reason, there is a high possibility that spinners could play a very important role in the match between India and Pakistan. Usman Tariq can also take advantage of this, as Team India has not played him even once so far. Perhaps this is the reason why Captain Salman Ali Agha has called him the trump card of his team.

"For us, every player is equal. You guys have made Usman Tariq this big. He has been bowling well. He is our trump card," he added.

Salman Ali Agha's statement clearly shows that he is confident that Usman Tariq will showcase his prowess against Team India as well and help Pakistan defeat its arch-rival for the second time in the tournament's history.

India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 clash has become a topic of discussion. This match is scheduled to be played on February 15 at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. In terms of securing a place in the Super 8 from Group A, this match is extremely important. Meanwhile, for Team India, a major challenge in this match will be Pakistan's spin bowler Usman Tariq, who has been making headlines since his debut and has also been a source of trouble for the batter in the current tournament. 28-year-old off-spinner Usman Tariq is in the spotlight more for his bowling action than his performance. 

During bowling, Tariq pauses in the middle and then delivers the ball. By doing this, he gets a sense of what the batter intends to do and then bowls accordingly. Now, this Pakistani off-spinner has made a big revelation before the match against India, saying how he was inspired to pursue a career in cricket after watching the biopic of former Indian captain MS Dhoni. Dhoni's biopic was released in 2016, and his role was played by Sushant Singh Rajput, who is no longer with us.  The film traces MS Dhoni's journey from childhood to becoming India's most successful captain. It inspired Usman Tariq to leave his job as a salesman and pursue a cricket career.

"I had left behind thinking of making a name in cricket, but one day I watched this film, and it convinced me that I can also do the same," Usman Tariq told AFP.

See Also: ‘Time to move on…’- Former BCCI selector reveals story of asking MS Dhoni to leave white-ball captaincy

Usman Tariq's bowling action is mired in controversy

Usman Tariq has played only four T20I matches for Pakistan so far, conceding runs at an economy rate of 5.93 and taking 11 wickets. Tariq participated in a match against the USA in the T20 World Cup 2026, where he took three wickets. However, after this match, his bowling action became a topic of discussion on social media. A large number of Indian fans accused him of chucking. Meanwhile, India's former off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said that Usman’s action is legal and that taking a pause is part of his regular action. Therefore, there should be no objection regarding this.

Now it remains to be seen with what approach the Indian batters will bat against Usman Tariq on Sunday. Meanwhile, Pakistan's other spinners could also pose a problem on Colombo's slow pitch. In such a scenario, everyone is excited about the contest between the Indian batters and the Pakistani spinners.

Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav appeared to regain his form during the series against New Zealand ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and continued that momentum in India’s opening match against the USA. He played a decisive role in the win over the USA with a controlled and impactful innings. However, the Indian skipper failed to deliver in IND vs NAM clash, where he struggled to make an impact. His dismissal became a turning point, as Namibia wicketkeeper Zane Green produced an exceptional piece of wicketkeeping with a sharp stumping to send Suryakumar back to the pavilion.

Suryakumar Yadav, who had earlier struck an unbeaten 84 off 49 balls against the USA, came to the crease in the eighth over against Namibia with India already on 104 runs, largely due to Ishan Kishan’s aggressive half-century. Expectations were high that the Indian captain would accelerate the scoring rate, but he struggled to find timing early in his innings. Suryakumar failed to connect for a boundary off his first nine deliveries before finally clearing the ropes on the tenth ball.

In the following over's first ball, however, he attempted an ambitious shot against left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz, missed the delivery, and was sharply stumped by wicketkeeper Zane Green, bringing his stay at the crease to an abrupt end. Green made a swift stumping, leaving Suryakumar with no chance of returning to the crease. The Indian captain, realizing he had no chance of survival, returned to the pavilion with his head down. The video of the excellent stumping by the Namibian wicketkeeper is viral.

Watch Video: 

See Also: Watch: Jasprit Bumrah’s firing yorker dismisses Ruben Trumpelmann during IND vs NAM T20 WC 2026 clash

India's second consecutive win in T20 World Cup 2026

Although India did not finish their innings well during the batting in the final overs against Namibia, the bowlers defended the 210-run target brilliantly and gave the team a huge victory by 93 runs. In the match played at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, batting first, India scored 209 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 20 overs, with important contributions from Ishan Kishan (61) and Hardik Pandya (52) with their half-centuries.

After that, the target was defended very well, and Namibia’s innings were bowled out for 116 runs in just 18.2 overs. In bowling, Varun Chakravarthy took the most wickets for India, claiming three. India will now face Pakistan in their third match of the tournament, and for this, they will have to travel to Colombo. This match will be played on February 15th, and all eyes will be on it.