Former cricketer Basit Ali has made a humorous comment on the India-Pakistan rivalry ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Recently during a cricket show discussion that went viral, Basit Ali’s sharp and witty one-line reply instantly caught attention, leaving the panel amused and fans laughing on social media.
India and Pakistan have been drawn in the same group for the T20 World Cup to guarantee at least one high-profile clash between the two rivals in the 20-team tournament. The group has been kept relatively easy, increasing both teams’ chances of progressing to the next stage of the highly anticipated competition.
“We can pray” – Basit Ali’s candid comment on stopping India goes viral
In a video circulated on X (formerly Twitter), a Pakistani show host was seen discussing India’s playing XI for the upcoming marquee event. He said the lineup is full of individual match winners from top to bottom.
When the host asked Basit Ali what strategy a coach could use to stop such a strong team, the response was brief, brutal, and hilarious: “We can pray.”
Former Pakistan cricketers shared their strategies to stop this extremely strong Indian batting lineup in the 2026 T20 World Cup. ??? pic.twitter.com/gL7f7ezcaw
– Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) 28 January 2026
India will face Pakistan in a high-profile T20 World Cup match in Colombo.
India has to face Pakistan in the T20 World Cup on 15 February in Colombo. Both teams are part of Group A along with Namibia, Netherlands and USA.
India, captained by Suryakumar Yadav, are expected to start as favorites in this crucial encounter due to their strong record against Pakistan in ICC tournaments. The Men in Blue also defeated Pakistan thrice in last year’s Asia Cup, including the final at the Dubai International Stadium.
In T20 World Cup history, Pakistan has been able to achieve only one win over India. That win came in 2021, when Babar Azam’s side defeated Virat Kohli and India by ten wickets in Dubai.
At the 2024 T20 World Cup, where India ended an 11-year wait for an ICC title, Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-finals after group-stage defeats against India and the US.
Pakistan’s participation in T20 World Cup still uncertain
Pakistan has still not confirmed whether they will participate in the T20 World Cup or not. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said that the final decision will be taken on January 30 or February 2.
The uncertainty began after Bangladesh were removed from the tournament after refusing to travel to India due to security concerns. ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland. Naqvi said that if the Prime Minister asked him to do so, Pakistan would withdraw from the tournament.
Although Pakistan has already announced its squad, the board is still considering all options. The PCB is also keeping the possibility of a boycott open, especially for the match against India.
According to Telecom Asia Sport, Pakistan can assess the team’s performance in the first two matches. They will play Netherlands on February 7 and USA on February 10. If Pakistan wins both the games, the board may consider abandoning the match against India.
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