Injured Harshit Rana out, Siraj comes in

Mumbai: India fast bowler Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after sustaining a right knee injury during the team’s warm-up match against South Africa on February 4 in Navi Mumbai.

Following consultations with a specialist and subsequent scans, the BCCI medical team deemed Rana unfit to take further part in the tournament.

The team management has wished the pacer a speedy recovery. The Event Technical Committee (ETC) of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has approved Mohammad Siraj as Rana’s replacement in the India squad, clearing the fast bowler to be officially added to the team.

Siraj, who has represented India in 45 Tests, 50 One-Day Internationals and 16 T20 Internationals, joins the squad as a like-for-like pace option as India begin their title defence. Under ICC regulations, any replacement to a tournament squad requires approval from the Event Technical Committee before the player can be formally included.

The ETC for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 comprises Wasim Khan, ICC General Manager – Cricket (ICC representative); Gaurav Saxena (IBC representative); Hemang Amin (Host representative); and former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock (Independent representative). Rana’s injury comes as a setback for India, with the fast bowler having featured prominently in the team’s plans during the build-up to the tournament. Siraj’s inclusion, however, brings experience and depth to

India’s pace attack as the campaign gets underway.