The psychological warfare ahead of the India vs. Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 match reached a boiling point on Sunday. Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh issued a scathing rebuttal to Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir, who had labeled rising Indian star Abhishek Sharma as a mere “slogger” on a Pakistani talk show.
Harbhajan, who has been a mentor-figure to the young left-hander, slammed Amir’s assessment as “unfair” and “baseless,” asserting that Abhishek possesses a technical range most modern batters lack.
The Controversy: “Slogger” vs. “Proper Batter”
The friction began when Amir claimed that Abhishek Sharma was technically unsound and could be easily dismissed with a “sound plan,” suggesting the opener had yet to be tested at the highest level.
- Amir’s Critique: “He’s just a slogger… he doesn’t know how to defend and hasn’t been properly tested.”
- Harbhajan’s Defense: Speaking to reporters on February 14, Harbhajan countered: “A slogger is someone who hits blindly. Abhishek is a proper batter who plays shots in every direction—over cover, through point, and mid-wicket. If he stays at the crease tomorrow, he’ll be in your dreams for the next six months.”+1
Match Update: Colombo Weather & Toss
As the 7:00 PM IST start time approaches, all eyes are on the R. Premadasa Stadium skies.
| Status | Details |
| Current Weather | Thick cloud cover; no rain reported since last night. |
| Rain Probability | Fell from 96% in the morning to 13% for the evening. |
| Ground Condition | Floodlights are already on due to overcast skies. Ground staff can clear the full covers in just 20 minutes. |
| Toss Time | 6:30 PM IST (Expected on time). |
The Teams: Strategy and Surprise Weapons
Both teams are unbeaten with four points each, making this match a virtual qualifier for the Super 8s.
India’s Probable XI:
- Abhishek Sharma (Returning from a stomach bug)
- Ishan Kishan (wk)
- Suryakumar Yadav (c)
- Tilak Varma
- Hardik Pandya
- Shivam Dube
- Axar Patel
- Kuldeep Yadav (Expected to replace Arshdeep on a spin-friendly track)
- Varun Chakaravarthy
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Mohammed Siraj
Pakistan’s Probable XI:
- Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan lead the top order, with Babar Azam anchoring at No. 4.
- The “Mystery” Factor: Pakistan is expected to field Usman Tariq, whose unconventional bowling action has been the talk of the tournament.
Fun Fact: Despite the off-field barbs, India holds a dominant 7-1 record against Pakistan in T20 World Cups.