Mumbai: India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has finally addressed Pakistan’s call to boycott their high-voltage clash against India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, making it clear that Team India remains committed to the scheduled fixture.
The much-anticipated India vs Pakistan encounter is slated for February 15 in Colombo, with the tournament set to begin on February 7. Speaking at the captains’ meet in Mumbai, Suryakumar underlined that India has never backed out of playing Pakistan and has already locked in its travel plans.
“Our mindset is very clear. We haven’t said no to playing them. They are the ones who’ve said no. Our flights are booked and we are going. Our fixtures are ready — first USA, then Canada, and then Colombo,” Suryakumar said.
Pakistan’s boycott call comes as a show of solidarity with Bangladesh, who were dropped from the tournament after refusing to travel to India, citing security concerns. Following multiple discussions with the Bangladesh Cricket Board, the International Cricket Council reviewed the matter and concluded that the security risk was minimal and comparable to other major international events.
With the schedule already finalised, the ICC decided to exclude Bangladesh from the competition, naming Scotland as their replacement.
Despite the off-field developments, the India-Pakistan fixture remains officially scheduled. Historically, India have dominated Pakistan in T20 World Cup encounters, winning seven of their eight matches, with Pakistan managing just one victory. Their most recent meeting took place during the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA.
