Suryakumar Yadav announces India’s participation in IND vs PAK clash despite Pakistan’s boycott

India captain Suryakumar Yadav spoke about the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) stance to boycott the match against them in the T20 World Cup 2026. Suryakumar stated that India have no issue playing Pakistan and added that they never refused to play the match, as the ICC scheduled the fixture at a neutral venue.

On Sunday, the Pakistan government stated that they would boycott the match against India in the World Cup in Colombo as support for Bangladesh. With that stance confirmed, focus has shifted to how the ICC will react to Pakistan and the PCB as the situation continues to evolve with new developments.

Humne Mana Nahi Kiya Khelne Ke Liye - Suryakumar Yadav on India-Pakistan Match

Suryakumar Yadav said that India are ready to play Pakistan. He stated that the ICC approved a neutral venue. Surya added that India’s travel plans to Colombo are already in place and the team will go ahead as planned, while the final outcome will depend on the situation.

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"Mindset is clear... humne mana nahi kiya khelne kie liye. Udhar se mana kiya hai. ICC ne fixture diya hai, government ne decide kiya hai neutral venue. Humari flight book hai Colombo ki, hum to jaa rahe hai. Baaki dekh lege," Suryakumar Yadav told reporters in Mumbai on Thursday.

(We never refused to play the match. The refusal has come from the other side. The ICC has scheduled the fixture, and the government has decided on a neutral venue. Our flights to Colombo are booked, and we are going there. We will see what happens next.)

Surakumar Yadav on Pakistan match: Mindset is clear... humne mana nahi kiya khelne kie liye. Udhar se mana kiya hai. ICC ne fixture diya hai, government ne decide kiya hai neutral venue. Humari flight book hai Colombo ki, hum to jaa rahe hai. Baaki dekh lege.

— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) February 5, 2026

Very Relieved to Get Back to Form - Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav said that every team is capable of performing well at the T20 World Cup 2026. The India captain also said that he feels relieved to be back among the runs and in good form. He added that conditions like dew cannot be controlled.

"Every team is good here so important to play good cricket. Very relieved to get back to form and scoring runs. We want to control the way we want to play, dew is not in our control," Yadav stated.

🧵ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Captain's Press Conference (Part 2):

Suryakumar Yadav, India: Every team is good here so important to play good cricket. Very relieved to get back to form and scoring runs. We want to control the way we want to play, dew is not in our control.

— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) February 5, 2026

India to Commence T20 World Cup 2026 Campaign on February 7

India are placed in Group A along with the USA, Pakistan, Namibia, and the Netherlands. They will begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against the United States of America on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

After the opening match, the defending champions will face Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on February 12. India are then scheduled to play Pakistan at the R. Premadasa International Stadium in Colombo on February 15.

India will play their final group match against the Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 18. The top two teams from each group will move into the Super Eight stage.

Those eight teams will be split into two groups, with the top two from each reaching the semifinals. The final is set to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, if Pakistan do not qualify.

Also read: Salman Ali Agha reveals Pakistan’s knockout plan vs India in T20 World Cup 2026