Pakistan on Monday reversed its decision to boycott the T20 World Cup match against India, which could be called off if it rains.
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Published February 14, 2026
India captain Suryakumar Yadav said his players are not worried about the threat of rain in Sunday’s Twenty20 World Cup match against Pakistan, adding that the defending champions are focused on preparing for the showdown between their rivals.
Pakistan had initially boycotted the Group A match in Colombo, citing the exclusion of Bangladesh from the tournament after refusing to play in India citing safety concerns, but reversed the decision on Monday.
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However, the weather forecast has warned of heavy rain on Sunday afternoon and evening, raising new questions about the match.
“Weather is something we cannot control,” Suryakumar told reporters on Saturday.
India is not happy with Pakistan
He said this matchup is not a routine match for the co-hosts.
“When you play an India-Pakistan match, it’s more about the occasion. Obviously, it’s a big platform. No matter how many times I say it, it’s just another match… It’s human tendency. You know which match you’re going to play,” the 35-year-old said.
“Everything we’ve been working hard on, everything we’ve been practicing, we’re going to try to implement it in the game.”
India and Pakistan have each won two games in this tournament. Both matches were played in Colombo, with Pakistan having agreed to play only on neutral grounds, while India arrived after Thursday’s win over Namibia.
Suryakumar said India is not at a disadvantage because of its unfamiliarity with the land.
“We have similar wickets back home and we have played cricket here many times during bilateral matches against Sri Lanka, so we are also familiar with the situation,” he said.
India and Pakistan recently faced each other in last year’s Asia Cup, with India winning all three encounters including the final.
“We cannot bury history because it can lead to complacency,” Suryakumar said.
India prepares for Pakistan’s ‘out-of-class’ Tariq
India has been preparing to face unconventional action spinner Usman Tariq, who took three wickets for Pakistan in Tuesday’s match against the United States.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said earlier on Saturday that Tariq is their trump card against India.
“If you get a question in an exam that is beyond the syllabus, you can’t just skip it. You have to try something to work on it,” Suryakumar said of Tariq.
“We practice with similar bowlers, similar actions. We will try to implement what we have practiced in the net sessions.”
Salman had also expressed hope that India’s opening batsman Abhishek Sharma – the highest-ranked batsman in 20 overs – will play on Sunday, after missing the previous match due to illness.
Speaking about Sharma, Suryakumar said, “I understand. If (Salman) wants him to play, I will play with him tomorrow.”
