Colombo: The tension was unmistakable even before a ball was bowled. India captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha skipped the customary handshake at the toss, setting a fiery tone for their blockbuster Group A showdown in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Minutes later, Agha won the toss and chose to bowl first on a surface that appeared slightly tacky and likely to aid seamers in the early overs — a call that could shape the course of the high-stakes contest.
Both sides entered the marquee clash unbeaten. India lead Group A on superior net run-rate after wins over the United States in Mumbai and Namibia in New Delhi. Pakistan, based in Colombo, scraped past the Netherlands before producing a stronger display against the USA.
Defending champions India recalled Abhishek Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav, replacing Sanju Samson and Arshdeep Singh. Abhishek returns after recovering from a stomach infection that sidelined him for the Namibia fixture.
“We were looking to bat first. We’ve defended totals in the last two games and won both, so we don’t want to change anything,” Suryakumar said. “It’s an occasion, but the focus is to stay present and back our skills.”
Pakistan retained the same playing XI. Agha cited early help for bowlers and the venue’s bigger boundaries compared to SSC as key factors behind opting to field.
The stance has been evident in multiple tournaments, starting from the men’s Asia Cup 2025, where Indian players opted out of pre and post-match handshakes in all three encounters at the Dubai International Stadium.
The same was on repeat during the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup clash in Colombo and Men’s U19 Asia Cup and World Cup games. Earlier on Sunday, India A and Pakistan A also chose against shaking hands in their Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars match at the Terdthai Cricket Ground in Bangkok.
The no-handshake approach has coincided with heightened political tensions between the two countries following the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025, when 26 people were killed, and the subsequent Operation Sindoor.
On the eve of the fixture, Suryakumar had hinted at the move, telling reporters in the pre-match press conference, “Just wait a bit, you will know tomorrow, just have your food, sleep well tonight.”
Agha, asked for his view, said, “What I expect, obviously, does not matter. But I feel that the game should be played the same way as it has been since the beginning of cricket. The rest is up to them and whatever they want to do.”
Earlier, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar criticised India’s no-handshake policy against Pakistan, terming it “silly” and said it does not reflect well on a major cricketing nation.
“This ‘no shaking hands’ is such a silly thing that India has started. It’s unbecoming of a nation like ours. Either play properly within the spirit of the game or don’t play at all,” wrote Manjrekar on his X account.
In his pitch assessment, former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja noted that rain fears had subsided. The straight boundary measures 84 metres, with square boundaries at 70 and 74 metres. Recent matches here have tilted towards bowlers, with Blessing Muzarabani and Nathan Ellis both claiming four-wicket hauls by exploiting hard lengths.
History heavily favours India, who have won seven of their eight Men’s T20 World Cup encounters against Pakistan. The latter’s only triumph came in 2021, when Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan orchestrated a commanding 10-wicket win in Dubai.
Adding another tactical twist, all three previous World Cup games at this Colombo venue have been won by the side batting first — making Pakistan’s decision to chase a bold gamble under lights.
Playing XIs
India: Ishan Kishan (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (capt), Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed
(IANS)
