WATCH: Mohsin Naqvi receives GRAND welcome in Colombo ahead of India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 clash
Team India and Pakistan are all set for one of the biggest matches of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The arch-rivals will lock horns in their Group A encounter at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, February 15, with the match starting at 7:00 PM IST (toss at 6:30 PM IST).
Mohsin Naqvi receives warm welcome in Colombo
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Colombo ahead of the blockbuster clash and was greeted with a traditional welcome by Sri Lankan dancers. The warm reception set a positive tone for Pakistan ahead of the high-pressure contest.
Suryakumar Yadav on pressure & nerves
India captain Suryakumar Yadav opened up about the unique intensity of the India-Pakistan fixture during his pre-match press conference.
“Yes, there will be pressure, there will be nerves, butterflies in the stomach when we start the game tomorrow. But at the same time, there’s no pressure, there’s no nerves, there’s no fun to play cricket. And yeah, it’s a big occasion,” Surya said.
He emphasized that the team is focused on playing freely and enjoying the moment despite the massive stakes.
Salman Agha embraces captaincy responsibility
Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha acknowledged the extra weight of captaining his country in such a high-profile game.
“I haven’t lost sleep but I have a few extra grays in my beard. Yeah, it’s an added responsibility when you are captain of your side and representing 250-260 million people. You can’t run away from the responsibility. When you are representing your country and you are the captain of your side, we need to find a way to deal with that,” Agha said.
Both captains highlighted the importance of handling pressure while maintaining the spirit of the game.
India’s Probable Playing XI
Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Singh
Pakistan’s Probable Playing XI
Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed
With both teams unbeaten so far and the rivalry adding extra spice, Sunday’s contest promises fireworks. The outcome could have a major bearing on Group A standings and Super 8 qualification.
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