IND VS SA, 2nd T2OI: Arshdeep Singh’s mother opens up about watching her son play with Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma, says…

The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium in Mullanpur is set to host its first men’s international match, marking a historic moment for the venue and giving fans a chance to witness three local Punjabi players.

New Delhi: Team India and South Africa are set to play their second T20I match on Thursday, December 11 at the state-of-the-art New Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium in Mullanpur, on the outskirts of Chandigarh, which will host the first men’s international match.

However, the main excitement centers around three local Punjabi players making their mark on home turf. While jerseys of stars like India captain Suryakumar Yadav, Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli are in high demand, there is also unusually high demand for the local heroes Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Arshdeep Singh.

Arshdeep, Gill, and Abhishek set to shine at home

It will be the first occasion where three Punjabi players represent India in their home state. Baljit Kaur, Arshdeep‘s mother, expressed her visible excitement.

“All three are like brothers; they share a very close bond. And to see them playing for India together is like family members playing for India,” she tells The Indian Express. “We had also met Abhishek in Australia, and both families travelled together and cheered for them. At Mullanpur too, we all will be cheering.“

“I have seen all of them since their younger days, especially Shubman. After such a long time, we are seeing three players making their place almost permanent in the Indian team. Obviously, it makes us very happy,” Rajkumar Sharma, Abhishek‘s father and childhood coach added

India defeated South Africa in 1st T20I match in Cuttack

India began their T20 World Cup campaign in style, as they crushed the Proteas by a massive 101–runs in Cuttack on Tuesday.

As India fine-tunes their squad and strategies across the next nine games over the coming two months ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, these three players from the state have cemented their spot as key members of the team.

They have proven they possess the X-factor. Shubman Gill has embraced his role as Test and ODI captain while continuing to score runs in T20s, Abhishek Sharma is currently the world‘s No.1 T20 batter, while Arshdeep Singh‘s brilliance with the new white ball, showcased during India‘s 2-1 ODI series win over South Africa last week, has made him a formidable presence. “The last time three Punjab players represented India was with Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, and Dinesh Mongia. These are very encouraging signs,” says former India all-rounder Reetinder Singh Sodhi, who played 18 ODIs.