Colombo, Feb 14 (NationPress) Filled with pride and emotion, Rajkumar Sharma, the father of Abhishek Sharma, expressed his happiness at witnessing the India–Pakistan showdown. He conveyed his warm wishes to the Indian squad ahead of their match against their fierce rivals Pakistan during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 at R. Premadas Stadium in Colombo this Sunday.

Earlier, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav announced that opener Abhishek Sharma, who was sidelined during the second match of the T20 World Cup 2026 against Namibia, is now “fit to play” and will participate in the significant Group A match against the rivals.

Abhishek was hospitalized in a private facility in New Delhi on Monday due to a stomach infection he acquired during the match against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. In his absence, Sanju Samson opened the innings against Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, scoring a quick 22 runs off just eight balls and might continue in that role if necessary.

“I am extremely delighted to be in Colombo for the India–Pakistan match. It promises to be an exciting encounter. We extend our best wishes to the Indian team — we hope they perform excellently. They are a remarkable team, and naturally, we want India to triumph. The atmosphere here is fantastic. With the World Cup being hosted in India, the fans are jubilant and celebrating,” Rajkumar Sharma told IANS.

“Everyone is congratulating the team, and India is in great form. I sincerely hope they maintain their performance, and I especially wish for Abhishek to excel. Our prayers are always with him. May he continue to contribute to India’s success. These are our heartfelt wishes for him,” he added.

India and Pakistan have consistently been grouped together in the initial rounds of the last five T20 World Cups and the last two 50-over World Cups. So far, the two teams have faced each other eight times in the T20 World Cup, with India winning seven times and Pakistan claiming victory once (in 2021).

“The enthusiasm for cricket here is phenomenal — there’s palpable excitement everywhere. Everyone is particularly pleased that Abhishek Sharma is fit. The fans are ecstatic and are wishing the Indian team all the best for the upcoming match. We hope both teams deliver an outstanding performance tomorrow. We’re here to support the Indian team and extend our good wishes. Rajkumar, Abhishek’s father, is a close friend — we are like family. There’s a strong bond between us. Abhishek has always lived and breathed cricket. His passion for the game has been evident since childhood,” said Sardar Bhupinder Singh, Abhishek’s uncle, to IANS.

Abhishek had been a force to reckon with against Pakistan during the recent Asia Cup, aggressively targeting their bowlers. He will be vital for India in securing a strong start this Sunday.