India captain Suryakumar Yadavhas spoken up on the ongoing controversy surrounding Pakistan’s threat to boycott their scheduled ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 group match against India, making it clear that the Indian team remains committed to turning up and playing their part in the marquee clash.
At the pre-tournament captains’ press meet in Mumbai on Thursday, Suryakumar said the Indian team’s mindset is unshaken despite recent tensions and uncertainty over Pakistan’s participation on February 15
in Colombo.
“I think mindset is pretty clear. We have not said 'no' to playing the match. It came from the other side. ICC has given the official fixtures. BCCI and the government has decided on a neutral venue along with ICC. Our flight is booked for Colombo. So we are going for sure," Suryakumar said.
In a line that has already made headlines, the 35-year-old confirmed that his team is fully prepared for the clash irrespective of how the boycott unfolds.
“The team discussion is that we are playing first on February 7, then we will go there," he added.
India will first kick off their World Cup campaign against the USA on February 7 before flying to Sri Lanka for the high-profile fixture. Suryakumar noted that discussions within the team have been clear and focused on preparation.
With the India-Pakistan fixture widely anticipated and now clouded by a boycott threat, the Men in Blue skipper's comments signal their clear intent to stay focused on the game and honour the competition’s schedule, leaving the final outcome to the governing bodies and participants.
India vs Pakistan: One-sided affair in multinational tournaments
Despite being a high-voltage clash, India versus Pakistan has been a one-sided rivalry, especially in the ICC T20 World Cups. The arch-rivals have faced each other eight times in the tournament's history, with the Men in Blue winning a staggering seven times, with Pakistan winning just once. Their solitary win came during the 2021 edition, when the Babar Azam-led side beat India by 10 wickets.
