COLOMBO: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met the national team and management on Saturday as preparations continued for Sunday’s blockbuster ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 clash against India at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
Naqvi spent time with the squad during an official interaction, offering encouragement ahead of one of the tournament’s most eagerly awaited fixtures. He commended the players for their commitment, determination and fighting spirit, while extending his best wishes for the high-pressure encounter.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha was present at the meeting, alongside Head Coach Mike Hesson and team manager Naveed Akram Cheema. All members of the playing squad and coaching staff also attended.
Unbeaten
Several senior PCB officials accompanied the chairman, including Chief Operating Officer Sameer Ahmed, Pakistan Super League chief executive Salman Naseer, and Director Media Aamir Mir.
Both Pakistan and India enter the contest unbeaten in the group stage. India have registered victories over the United States and Namibia, while Pakistan have defeated the Netherlands and the United States.
India currently sit at the top of the group standings with four points and an impressive net run rate of 3.050. Pakistan also have four points but remain behind with a net run rate of 0.932.
The two sides share a long and intense rivalry. In T20 internationals, India and Pakistan have played 16 matches, with India winning 13 and Pakistan securing three victories.
In T20 World Cup history, the arch-rivals have met eight times, with India holding a dominant 7-1 advantage, adding further weight to Sunday’s showdown.
Squads
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Rinku Singh.
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq.
