India will travel to Sri Lanka for T20 World Cup match against Pakistan: Suryakumar Yadav
Cricket
Pakistan’s T20 captain Salman Ali Agha acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the high-profile clash
MUMBAI (Dunya News) - India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav on Thursday made it clear that they will travel to Sri Lanka for their scheduled ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 group-stage match against Pakistan, despite Pakistan’s announcement that it will not play India in the tournament.
Speaking at a press conference following the Captains’ Carnival, Suryakumar said India remains fully aligned with the plans finalised by the ICC, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and the Indian government.
He stressed that India has never backed away from the fixture and is prepared to follow the officially announced schedule.
“Our mindset is very clear. We have not refused to play the match. That decision has come from the other side. The ICC has released the official fixtures, and the BCCI and the government, along with the ICC, have decided on a neutral venue. Our travel plans are in place and our flight to Colombo is booked,” Suryakumar said.
He added that the Indian squad has already mapped out its tournament plans in line with the confirmed schedule and remains focused on preparations.
“As a team, the discussion is simple — we play our first match on February 7 and then travel accordingly,” he said.
Also Read: Govt has final say on match against India, says Pakistan captain Salman Agha
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the high-profile clash, reiterating that the decision lies entirely with the Pakistani government and is beyond the players’ or cricket board’s authority.
“The decision regarding the match against India will be taken by the government. Whether the match happens or not is unclear, but as players we will follow whatever decision the government makes,” Salman said.
On February 1, the Government of Pakistan announced that while the national men’s team would participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, it would not take the field against India in the group-stage match scheduled for February 15.
Pakistan’s decision to boycott the match was described as a gesture of solidarity with Bangladesh, which withdrew from the tournament after the ICC rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s request to shift its matches to venues outside India.
