India gunning for 7th straight win over Pakistan:Rain could play spoilsport; Handshake row to take centre-stage

Team India are heading into a high-voltage clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2026 after registering 10 consecutive T20I wins. The Men in Blue have been in dominant form, comfortably defeating associate nations like the USA and Namibia in their opening matches of the tournament. Their strong run has built great momentum ahead of the much-awaited encounter. The upcoming match also gained attention after the PCB initially announced a ‘boycott’ policy and refused to participate in the major ICC event. Following the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s withdrawal and further discussions, the PCB made a U-turn. The Government of Pakistan later confirmed that the team would face India on February 15. Pakistan, meanwhile, have secured wins against the USA and the Netherlands in the group stage, though their on-field performances have not been very convincing. Earlier in the T20 Asia Cup 2025, India and Pakistan faced each other three times within two weeks, including the final in Dubai, where India went on to lift the trophy. India vs Pakistan, T20 WC 2026, Match – 27, match details Venue: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Time: 7:00 PM IST, Toss at 6:30 PM IST Live streaming: Star Sports Network, JioHotstar Live updates: Bhaskar English (App/Website) PAK’s U-turn after refusal ‘Boycott’ duplicacy Following the Mustafizur Rahman controversy and Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the T20 World Cup 2026, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) initially refused to take part in the major ICC tournament. After some time, Pakistan softened its stance and agreed to participate in the event, but maintained that they would not play against India. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly stated that “Pakistan won’t be playing against India on Feb 15 in Colombo.” However, the situation changed after a meeting with the ICC, which was also attended by BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul. Following discussions, the PCB reversed its boycott policy and agreed to face India on the originally scheduled date and venue, marking another dramatic turn in the ongoing developments surrounding the tournament. BCB to ‘break ice’ with BCCI during India-Pakistan clash The President of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), Aminul Islam, has hinted at opening fresh discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) during the India vs Pakistan match in the ongoing T20 World Cup. The much-awaited match is scheduled to take place in Colombo on Sunday, February 15. “The ICC has taken a decision. The major stakeholders of the ICC are these five Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan) and for the India-Pakistan match on the 15th in the World Cup, they want representatives of all five Asian countries to be present at the ground together, watch the match together and talk to one another,” Aminul was quoted in leading Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo on Wednesday. Top performers of India in T20Is Top performers of Pakistan in T20Is R Premadasa Stadium pitch report Traditionally, the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo is a bowler-friendly venue. Pacers benefit from early movement, while spinners become more effective as the match goes on. The pitch often assists bowlers, especially in the first innings, making it tough for batters to settle. Teams winning the toss usually prefer to bowl first to use the early advantage. Colombo weather report On Sunday, the weather will be a mix of warm and cold as the temperature in Colombo will be 28°C throughout the day. However, there is a 40% chance of rain in the venue. The humidity level will be 75%, while the wind will blow at a speed of 14 km/h.