By Vipul Kashyap

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 6 (ANI): Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj is likely to replace Harshit Rana following an injury to the latter, as per sources.

Rana has been ruled out of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 due to an injury, said sources. Harshit Rana was injured during Team India's T20 WC 2026 warm-up match against South Africa on Wednesday.

India's captain Suryakumar Yadav revealed, during the pre-match press conference ahead of the team's campaign-opener against the USA on Saturday, that Harshit Rana 'was not looking good' after the warm-up match against South Africa, and the team physios are having a look at his injury.

'Harshit was not looking good after the warm-up game. The physios are assessing it,' said Suryakumar.

The 24-year-old Delhi pacer managed just one over, giving away 16 runs, and played no further role in the match. Earlier in the match, Rana also batted for the Men in Blue, facing just one ball.

With doubts already looming over spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar's fitness, Rana's exit from India's campaign further deepens the defending champions' concerns ahead of the global event.

Harshit Rana has so far featured in nine T20Is for the Men in Blue. In those nine matches, the bowling all-rounder has scored 57 runs at an average of 28.5, with the highest score of 35. He has also scalped nine wickets at an average of 33.0 with the best figures of 3/33.

On the other hand, Siraj, a Test cricket mainstay for India, last played a T20I for India against Sri Lanka in Pallekele back in July 2024. He has taken 14 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 32.28, with an economy rate of 7.79 and best figures of 4/17. (ANI)