India T20 World Cup 2026 squad announcement: Time, date and live streaming details

NEW DELHI: The Indian team squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 and the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand in January will be announced by skipper Suryakumar Yadav and chief selector Ajit Agarkar at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Saturday. India has been placed in Group A alongside Namibia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, and the United States, and will begin its campaign against the USA on February 7 in Mumbai.Star performersThe star opener Abhishek Sharma appears to be a guaranteed starter, following a dream run in T20 cricket this year across franchises and the national team. Sharma has scored 825 runs in 20 matches at an average of 43.42 and a strike rate above 195, including a century, five fifties, and a best of 135.

The leadership duo of captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill is expected to retain their spots despite a challenging year.

Suryakumar has managed 213 runs in 18 innings at an average of 14.20 with no fifties, while Gill has scored 291 runs in 15 innings at an average of 24.25 and remains without a fifty since his T20I return.Tilak Varma, who impressed in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan and has excelled in run-chases and at number three, is also a likely pick. He has scored 494 runs in T20Is this year at an average of 44.90 with three fifties, and his ability to switch gears between anchoring and attacking makes him a key asset.

Wicketkeeping optionsOpener Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma could be the wicketkeeping options, depending on team combination and form. Ishan Kishan, having just won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and finishing as the leading run-scorer with 517 runs in 10 innings, could also be considered.All-rounders and bowlersAll-rounders Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar provide depth in both batting and bowling. Kuldeep Yadav could be the sole specialist spinner, supported by Sundar and Axar.

The pace attack is expected to be led by Jasprit Bumrah, with youngsters Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana as additional options.Fan favourites like Rinku Singh and Yashasvi Jaiswal, currently outside the T20I setup, may also be considered.

WHENIndia’s squad for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be revealed at 1:30 pm IST on Saturday, December 20, with Ajit Agarkar and Suryakumar Yadav addressing the media.WHEREThe announcement will be made at the BCCI headquarters, located within the Wankhede Stadium complex in Mumbai.LIVE STREAMING DETAILSFans can watch the announcement live on the Star Sports Network, while online viewers can stream it on JioHotstar website and app.