Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha expressed hope that India’s Abhishek Sharma will be available for the highly anticipated ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 clash between Pakistan and India in Colombo.
Speaking ahead of the match at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Agha acknowledged Sharma’s importance for India but emphasized Pakistan’s readiness to face their strongest lineup.
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“Abhishek is a good player and I hope he plays; we want to play against their best team,” Agha said, highlighting that Pakistan is fully prepared.
The captain also stressed that the team has been planning for every member of India’s playing XI.
“We make plans for their entire playing 11. Those targets are part of our routine practice; our bowling coach works with the fast bowlers on things like death bowling. We’ve been doing this for months; it wasn’t specifically for this game,” he added.
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In addition to player considerations, Agha spoke about the potential impact of Colombo’s unpredictable weather.
Forecasts predict a strong chance of rain during the match, which may lead to a reduced-overs contest.
Where to watch ICC T20 world cup 2026 matches live
Tapmad will stream the entire tournament through its website and mobile application.
Pakistan’s strategy, according to the captain, is to remain focused on executing plans rather than worrying about interruptions.
He also reflected on the spirit of the game, emphasizing fair play despite the intensity of the India-Pakistan political tensions.
“The game should be played in that spirit. My personal expectations don’t matter, but I feel the game should be played the way it has been since cricket began. The rest is up to the others and what they want to do,” Agha concluded.
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The clash is set to begin at 6:30 p.m PST tomorrow, with the toss scheduled for 6:00 p.m, and will test both teams’ skills, adaptability, and ability to handle external factors like rain and pressure from one of cricket’s most intense rivalries.
