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New Delhi: Team India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is likely to miss the 2026 T20 World Cup opening match against the United States of America (USA) on February 7. According to a PTI report, the pacer will miss the game due to viral fever and will be given rest by the team management.

This means that the Men in Blue will have just 13 fit players for the opening match as injured all-rounder Washington Sundar is yet to join the team. He is currently at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and awaiting final fitness clearance.

Bumrah was present at the Wankhede Stadium on the match eve, but didn’t train. Mohammed Siraj is likely to replace him in the playing XI, who was included in the squad at the last moment after pacer Harshit Rana was ruled out of the tournament. He suffered a knee injury during the warm-up match against South Africa at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on February 4.

“Following consultations with a specialist and subsequent scans, the BCCI medical team deemed him unfit to participate in the tournament. The team management wishes him a speedy recovery. Mohd. Siraj will join the team as Harshit’s replacement in the squad,” BCCI had stated in its press release.

Ishan Kishan to open

Ishan Kishan will open the innings along with Abhishek Sharma in the opening match of the 2026 T20 World Cup against the USA. He scored 53 runs in the warm-up match against South Africa as an opener. He has also notched up a sensational hundred at No.3 in the final T20I match against New Zealand. With Sanju Samson out of form, Kishan is likely to open.

India’s squad for T20 World Cup 2026

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