Key points
- Weekend trip costs rise to AED 7,000
- Airfares and hotels surge due demand
- Match tickets priced between AED 400–600
COLOMBO: Cricket enthusiasts from the United Arab Emirates are travelling in large numbers to Sri Lanka for Sunday’s high-profile India-Pakistan encounter in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
According to Gulf media reports, fans planning a weekend trip to Colombo are facing steep costs, with total expenses estimated at around AED 7,000. Travel agencies have noted a sharp rise in bookings, leading to significant increases in airfare and accommodation prices.
One travel agent said demand had pushed flight and hotel rates higher in recent days. Return tickets from Dubai to Colombo are currently averaging about AED 3,700, depending on availability and travel schedules.
Hotel prices have also surged, with three-night stays at mid-range properties costing approximately AED 2,200, while higher-category options can reach up to AED 4,000. Stadium tickets for mid-tier seating are expected to range between AED 400 and AED 600, bringing the overall travel package close to AED 6,000–7,000 per person.
Historically, India and Pakistan have met 16 times in T20 internationals, with India winning 13 and Pakistan three. In T20 World Cup contests, India hold a 6-1 advantage, while one match produced no result.
Both teams have announced their squads for the much-anticipated clash, intensifying excitement ahead of Sunday’s fixture.
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.
